[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 10 (Thursday, January 25, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E101]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO CARTER BURDEN

                                 ______


                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 25, 1996

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Carter 
Burden, a philanthropist, former New York City councilman, candidate to 
Congress, publisher, and arts benefactor. It saddens me to report that 
Mr. Burden died on January 23, 1996 at the age of 54 years. With his 
death, my district has lost a compassionate advocate for the elderly 
and generous contributor to the arts and libraries of New York City.
  Mr. Burden was city councilman in New York City from 1969 to 1978. As 
city councilman, he was dedicated to improving the health and housing 
for New York City's children and elderly. He advocated to improve 
standards for prisoners and introduced legislation for one of the first 
gay rights bills in the Nation. Mr. Burden ran for Congress in 1978, 
but lost to Bella S. Abzug.
  Previous to his years on city council, Mr. Burden was a legislative 
aid to Senator Robert F. Kennedy. While working for Senator Kennedy, he 
was the liaison to minority groups in East Harlem and helped establish 
the Bedford-Stuyvesant Development Project. He was one of the founders 
of the New Democratic Coalition which fought for reform within the 
Democratic Party, and against Tammany Hall style politics.
  Mr. Burden was born on August 25, 1941 in Beverly Hills, CA. He was 
fortunate to be a great-great-great-grandson of the railroad and 
shipping magnate Cornelius W. Vanderbilt, and great nephew of the actor 
Douglas Fairbanks. He attended Roman Catholic school, military school, 
and completed his secondary education at the Portsmouth Priory School 
in Rhode Island. Mr. Burden graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts 
degree in English from Harvard college in 1963. He received a bachelor 
of laws degree from Columbia University Law School in 1966.
  During these same years, he was active in the publishing industry. In 
1969, Mr. Burden became the principal owner of the Village Voice, which 
was then the country's largest weekly newspaper. In 1980, Mr. Burden 
turned to broadcasting and founded Commodore Media, a New York City 
company which owns and operates 20 radio stations. At his death, he was 
also managing partner of William A.M. Burden & Co., and director of the 
Reliance Insurance Companies.
  Although he never held another elected position after his loss to Ms. 
Abzug, he continued serving the public as a philanthropist. He 
established the Burden Center for the Aging in Yorkville, NY. He 
supported the National Crime Prevention Council, the Brookdale Center 
on Aging, and Survivors of Domestic Abuse.
  In the arts, Mr. Burden was a major benefactor of the New York Public 
Library, the Morgan Library and the New York City Ballet. His 
collection of rare first edition books by 20th century authors is 
regarded as one of the world's finest. He was also a collector of 
drawings, most significantly of works by Sargent, Picasso, and Matisse.
  I am deeply saddened by the passing of Carter Burden, and am 
compelled to recognize his important contributions to the people of my 
district and to the city of New York at large.

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