A New Look at Tammany Hall

Legendary "Boss" Tweed and his Tammany Hall political machine, which held New York City in its grip in the 19th and early 20th centuries, are synonymous with corruption. But beneath the tainted image emerge stories of immigrants struggling to gain a foothold in their adopted city. "Not all of the lessons of the old-style politics should be dismissed," said Peter Quinn, a chronicler of the Irish-American experience and author of the historical novel "Banished Children of Eve." "The machine was an example of outsiders wielding Democratic politics to push their interests against the insiders," Quinn said at the Graduate Center event "Irish New York: A New Look at Tammany Hall and Its Legacy." Quinn was joined by panelists Pete Hamill, Terry Golway and Richard Welch.

[@drfarrin]

I know I'm about 13 years late to the party, but this was a fantastic listen. It brought up a lot of things I never really considered and added a LOT of context to what little I learned in High School. I'm sure Tammany Hall is taught in more detail in New York, but where I grew up it was all covered in under one week in my US history class and used as a stepping stone to pivot to Teddy Roosevelt and his accomplishments. So thank you for posting this online, it was very educational and it expanded my understanding of the nuances of the rapid changes happening in that era.

[@superjam1446]

Thank you for this history lesson.

[@samueltildenbio1876]

Excellent piece... I'm trying to locate the court transcripts from the 2 trials NY Supreme Court with Justice Noah Davis and NY Governor Samuel Tilden testifying. Would any of you know where I can locate the actual transcripts?

[@Eamonloi]

I am pretty sure he misspelled it on purpose since he went to such great pains to highlight how the Irish were uneducated. Maybe it wasn't funny, but I think that's what he was driving at.
Great job Peter Quinn, Pete Hamill, Richard Welch and Terry Golway.
Eamon Loingsigh

[@thebackbencher666]

i thoroughly enjoyed this lecture...great vid.

[@themise1416]

Agreed.

[@thebackbencher666]

@Fredericka Kopacz Bullshit.

[@thebackbencher666]

@Kieran Musa No it didn’t.

[@davidhollingsworth1723]

Tamany is supposedly a Native American name - this would more or less define the philosophy of Tamany Hall - Philadelphia had one as well. During my growing up years all I ever heard about this organization was negative. I remember the names Carmine Di Sappio, Jimmy Hines. At this time Robert Wagner was a Senator from New York. I did not know that Al Smith had been connected with them or that so much legislation benefitting the "Little People" had been passed under their auspices. Quite an education for me.

[@Michalbasavraham]

Does anyone what auditorium that is? Is it Baruch?

[@AmericasComic]

Starts at 4:07

[@everyoneytubes]

What auditorium? CUNY Grad Center. 5th Avenue @ 34th St.

[@MrSoulauctioneer]

I'm not questioning his knowledge, but Quinn did a very good job of justifying criminal political behaviour.

[@RonaldReaganRocks1]

Exactly.

[@165Dash]

Interesting point.
LOL…Fast forward 5 years from your comment…in the epilogue of Rucker and Leonig’s “I Alone Can Fix It” Donald Trump “vents” about the “weak” GOP leadership in Congress (McConnell / Pence et al) that would not send the electoral college votes back to states and a “weak” Supreme Court…especially Brett Kavanaugh.
He laments that non were as “strong” as his favorite politician Meade Esposito…a name few people recognize, let alone remember…probably the most powerful and accomplished retail urban political boss of the late 20th Century. An operator in the old Tammany mold. Politically “liberal” yet a corrupt receiver of ring-kissing. Classic “altruistic dominant”.
Was this a subtle “dig” at contemporary liberal Democratic Party which is sometimes perceived as a non-machine “woke” and ineffective institution incapable of delivering the goods to its supposed constituents?

[@TM-vq1bf]

RSECEPT

[@heezy23456666]

he spelled respect wrong