The Martin Begun Collection Finding Aid BEG This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on November 01, 2018. English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Baruch College Archives, William and Anita Newman Library Digital Initiatives Librarian, Baruch College 1 Bernard Baruch Way New York, NY 10010 [email protected] URL: http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/library/alumni/archives.html The Martin Begun Collection Finding Aid BEG Table of Contents Summary Information .................................................................................................................................... 3 Biographical .................................................................................................................................................... 3 Scope and Content Note ................................................................................................................................ 4 Arrangement ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Administrative Information ............................................................................................................................ 5 Related Materials ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Controlled Access Headings .......................................................................................................................... 6 Collection Inventory ....................................................................................................................................... 6 Series I: Photographs ................................................................................................................................... 6 Series II: Scrapbooks ................................................................................................................................... 8 Series III: Subject/Working Files ................................................................................................................ 9 Series IV: Awards/Certificates .................................................................................................................. 10 Series V: Artifacts ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Series VI: Books ....................................................................................................................................... 12 - Page 2 - The Martin Begun Collection Finding Aid BEG Summary Information Repository: Baruch College Archives, William and Anita Newman Library Creator: Begun, Martin Stanley, 1932-2016 Title: The Martin Begun Collection ID: BEG Date [inclusive]: 1932-2012 Physical Description: 7.5 Cubic Feet Language of the English Material: Language of the English Material: Abstract: This collection documents the activities of Martin Stanley Begun, long time Dean of New York University’s School of Medicine, a power broker and active member of the Liberal and Democratic Party in local New York City politics, an active leader in the Jewish Community Relations Council, and advocate for the mentally ill and homeless. This collection includes photographs, scrapbooks, awards and certificates, artifacts, correspondence, and subject/working files detailing his professional and political career. Preferred Citation The Martin Begun Collection, Baruch College Archives, The William and Anita Newman Library. ^ Return to Table of Contents Biographical Martin Stanley Begun was born in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City on June 19, 1932 to Isadore Begun (born 1905 in New York and employed as a lawyer) and Judith Begun (born 1912 in Estonia). He acquired his BA in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin in 1953 and went on to receive his MA in Public Law and Government from Columbia University in 1955. Shortly after completing his education at Columbia, he served active military duty in the 42nd Infantry Division of - Page 3- The Martin Begun Collection Finding Aid BEG the Army National Guard in Seoul, Korea, from 1957-1960. In 1958, he was awarded a Commendation Medal by the Secretary of the Army. Coinciding with Begun’s military service, he was appointed as Instructor of Political Science with the University of Maryland Overseas Division for the Far East in the late 1950s and held a Lecturer position briefly from 1961-1962 at Baruch College before starting his lasting career at New York University’s School of Medicine in 1963 as an administrator and professor, retiring as Senior Associate Dean and Vice President of External Affairs in 1997. During his tenure at NYU, he was a strong advocate on behalf of the homeless and mentally ill during a time when they were overlooked by the medical community, and wrote an article in 1985 entitled “Crossroads for the Mentally Ill Homeless.” He was also active in New York City politics under the Liberal and Democratic parties and ran unsuccessfully for Edward Koch’s seat in Congress in 1978 after Koch became Mayor. He served as chairman of the Community Services Board of the city’s Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Alcoholism Services from 1974-1994, along with many other civic and community service appointments. A longtime leader of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, he maintained ties with leading federal, state and city officials, from Vice President Hubert Humphrey to Governors Nelson Rockefeller and Hugh Carey and Mayors Robert F. Wagner Jr., Abraham Beame, and Edward Koch. In his work with the Liberal Party, he nominated Hillary Clinton for New York Senator on June 3, 2000 describing her as “a candidate who is the spiritual and political descendent of Eleanor Roosevelt… whose cares and concerns demonstrate a total commitment to education, universal health care, and the equal protection of rights for all citizens.” In 1997, Martin Begun married Louise M. Sunshine, founder and former president of the real estate and marketing company, the Sunshine Group (later known as Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group). Sunshine made her name in real estate during her fifteen year career as executive vice president of the Trump Organization from 1973-1988. Begun passed away in 2016. ^ Return to Table of Contents Scope and Content Note This collection documents the activities of Martin Stanley Begun, long time Dean of New York University’s School of Medicine, a power broker and active member of the Liberal and Democratic Party in local New York City politics, an active leader in the Jewish Community Relations Council, and advocate for the mentally ill and homeless. ^ Return to Table of Contents - Page 4- The Martin Begun Collection Finding Aid BEG Arrangement The collection is arranged into six series: I. Photographs; II. Scrapbooks; III. Subject/Working Files; IV. Awards/Certificates, V. Artifacts; VI. Books. The contents of each series are arranged alphabetically, except series V, which does not have an arrangement. ^ Return to Table of Contents Administrative Information Publication Statement Baruch College Archives, William and Anita Newman Library Digital Initiatives Librarian, Baruch College 1 Bernard Baruch Way New York, NY 10010 [email protected] URL: http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/library/alumni/archives.html Provenance This collection was donated to Baruch College in 2016. Repository Information Baruch College Archives, William and Anita Newman Library. 151 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010. (646) 312-1623. Processing Information This collection was processed by Steven Calco December 2017. ^ Return to Table of Contents - Page 5- The Martin Begun Collection Finding Aid BEG Related Materials Related Archival Materials Researchers interested in this archive may also wish to consult the following resources: Robert F. Wagner Jr. Papers, New York City Department of Records Abraham D. Beame Papers, New York City Department of Records ^ Return to Table of Contents Controlled Access Headings • Municipal government • New York (inhabited place) • Jewish councils • New York (N.Y.)--Politics and government--1951- • Begun, Martin Stanley, 1932-2016 Collection Inventory Series I: Photographs, 1968-2012 Scope and Content Note This series contains several hundred photographs of Martin Begun with political, religious, and community leaders including Hillary Clinton, Pope John Paul II, Mayor Abraham Beame, Mayor John Lindsay, Mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr., Mayor Edward Koch, Mayor David Dinkins, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor Mario Cuomo, Governor George Pataki, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, and Vice President Al Gore; as well as several personal photographs from his wedding reception and family vacations. Photographs in this series that were framed or housed in photo albums were removed from their enclosures to ensure their preservation. Title/Description Instances Begun and Louise Sunshine vacation photo album to Italy, Paris box 1 folder 1 and River Stone Farm, 1997-1998 Begun and Louise Sunshine vacation photo album to Paris and box 1 folder 2 River Stone Farm, 1998-1999 - Page 6- The Martin Begun Collection Finding Aid BEG Begun and Louise Sunshine wedding album including Donald box 1 folder 3 Trump, Marla Maples, Tiffany Trump, Mario Cuomo, Mayor Koch, and Harrison Golden, 1997 Begun Campaign for Congress, 1978 box 1 folder 4 Begun headshots, undated box 1