Howard J. Samuels
Howard J. Samuels | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 3, 1919 |
| Died | October 26, 1984 (aged 64) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Statesman, industrialist, civil rights advocate, philanthropist |
| Known for | United States Under Secretary of Commerce; Director of the Small Business Administration; co-founder of Kordite Corporation; Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York; inaugural Chairman of the New York City Off-Track Betting Corporation |
Howard Joseph Samuels (December 3, 1919 – October 26, 1984) was a prominent American figure known for his roles as a statesman, industrialist, civil rights advocate, and philanthropist. Under President Johnson's administration, he held positions as United States Under Secretary of Commerce and Director of the Small Business Administration. Additionally, he contributed as a special advisor during the presidential campaigns of John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter.
An alumnus of the MIT Sloan School of Management, Samuels attained the rank of colonel in the Third Army commanded by General George Patton. Following his military tenure, he co-established the Kordite Corporation, which was instrumental in developing innovative synthetic household items such as the baggie, wax paper, plastic wrap, disposable kitchen utensils, and the trash bag that evolved into the Hefty brand. The success of Kordite elevated Samuels to become one of New York’s most affluent entrepreneurs, paving his way into the political arena.
Samuels was the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York in 1966 and contended in three gubernatorial primaries between 1962 and 1974. He also served as a special aide to New York City Mayor John Lindsay and became the inaugural Chairman of the New York City Off-Track Betting Corporation. He significantly contributed to advancing a constitutional convention in New York through leadership in the Citizens Committee for Constitutional Convention, which featured notable political leaders including Senators Robert F. Kennedy and Christopher Dodd. This convention later received approval from Governor Nelson Rockefeller.
On the national stage, Samuels revitalized the dormant wartime initiative Section 8(a), positioning the Small Business Administration at the forefront of civil rights progress. His Project OWN program formalized affirmative action and reparations strategies he described as compensatory capitalism or black capitalism. While this approach garnered support from civil rights proponents, it encountered resistance from some Congressional members and President Johnson’s cabinet, with Republican Senators denouncing it as reverse racism. During the Vietnam War period, Samuels provided financial backing to anti-war movements including John Kerry’s Veterans for Vietnam. After his son’s struggle with heroin addiction and subsequent arrest became public, Samuels emerged as an outspoken advocate for drug policy reform and rehabilitation initiatives within New York.
Samuels’ professional expertise also encompassed the petrochemical sector and consumer goods markets, leading to executive appointments such as Vice President at Mobil Oil Corporation, Commissioner of the North American Soccer League, and Chairmanships at Elms Capital Management, Alexander Proudfoot PLC, and Communities In Schools. In recognition of his contributions, the City University of New York founded the Howard Samuels State Management and Policy Center in 1988.
Early life
Samuels earned an S.B. degree in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management and served as a lieutenant colonel within General George S. Patton’s Third Army during World War II, taking part in liberating the Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald in 1945.
Kordite
Following World War II, he and his brother Richard established the Kordite Company, specializing in the production of plastic clotheslines, brooms, plastic bags, packaging materials, and well-known items such as Baggies and Hefty garbage bags.
State politics
During the 1962 election cycle, Samuels pursued the Democratic nomination for Governor of New York, but the delegates selected Robert M. Morgenthau instead. In the 1966 race, party members chose him over Orin D. Lehman as their candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York, although the Republican incumbents Gov. Nelson Rockefeller and Lt. Gov. Malcolm Wilson ultimately won. In 1970, Samuels was defeated in the Democratic gubernatorial primary by former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg.
1974 New York Governor election
In the 1974 gubernatorial race, Samuels entered as the Democratic State Committee’s endorsed candidate but was challenged in the primary by Congressman Hugh L. Carey, who defeated him and eventually secured the governorship.
City of New York Off-Track Betting
Mayor Lindsay appointed Samuels as the inaugural chairman of the New York City Off-Track Betting Corporation in 1971, a role that earned him the nickname "Howie the Horse."
National politics
Under President Lyndon B. Johnson, Samuels held the position of U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce and was appointed Director of the Small Business Administration in 1968. He supported liberal Republican John V. Lindsay’s successful 1969 mayoral re-election campaign in New York City, which caused tensions within his own party. In 1970, he narrowly lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary to Arthur Goldberg. That same year, his political endeavors were impacted by legal issues involving his son Howard related to drug possession and addiction. In 1971, Howard J. Samuels became a member of the Common Cause National Governing Board.
Family
He was married to Barbara J. Christie, with whom he had eight children: William, Carey, Catherine, Victoria, Howard, Barbara, Jacqui, and Janine. Subsequently, he wed Antoinette Chautemps, daughter of French Prime Minister Camille Chautemps, and they had two children together: Camille and Dominique.
Death
Samuels passed away from a heart attack on October 26, 1984, at his residence in New York City. His funeral attracted notable political leaders including Governor Mario M. Cuomo, Senators Gary Hart, Edward M. Kennedy, and Christopher J. Dodd, along with his longtime friend Ed R. Downe, who had conducted annual prayer gatherings with Samuels’ family for 25 years in Southampton, New York. Former Governor Malcolm Wilson remembered him as "a highly principled gentleman with a strong civic and social conscience." Cuomo described Samuels as "a gentle, compassionate man ... with the instincts, talents, and compassion to have been a great governor." Journalist and former campaign manager Ken Auletta regarded him as "a better man and a visionary than a politician."