Dean Alfange
Dean Alfange was born in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) of Greek parents, December 2,
1897. His family migrated to the United States and settled in Utica, New York, when he was very
young. He attended Hamilton College where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1922. Later he
attended Columbia University Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1925.
Alfange's interests led him to pursue a career in politics as well as law. He was also deeply involved
with the Order of Ahepa, a Greek-American cultural organization, acting as its national president from
1927-1929. He ran for New York State Governor on the American Labor Party ticket in 1942 against
Thomas E. Dewey and was a strong advocate of the New Deal and a great admirer of Franklin D.
Roosevelt.
During World War II he was the Vice-Chairman of the Emergency Committee to Save the Jewish
People of Europe. He made speeches for aid to the Jews against the Nazis, and at a hearing before
the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Representatives submitted a plan to save the Jews in
Europe. After World War II he became chairman of the Committee to Arm the Jewish State, a group
aimed at lifting the arms embargo on Palestine.
He was instrumental in the formation of the Liberal Party in 1944 when the American Labor Party split between pro-communist and anti-communist factions. Alfange held nominations or appointments
from Democrats and Republicans as well as the Liberal and American Labor Party. As early as 1954
he expressed opposition to the American policy of military aid to the French government in Indochina,
his position being one based on anti-colonialism. This position continued throughout America's
involvement in the Vietnam Conflict.
Other positions held by Alfange were: Deputy Attorney General of New York State, Trustee of the
Fashion Institute of Technology and New York State Quarter-Horse Racing Commissioner. Among
his awards are the Freedom Foundation Award (1952) for his composition “My Creed” (included in
Box 5, folder 3) and the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Award for his book The Supreme Court and
the National Will (1937).
He died in New York City on October 24, 1989 at age 91.
(http://legacy.www.nypl.org/research/c...)
“I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon—if I can. I seek opportunity—not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me. I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed. I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia. I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat. It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations, and to face the world boldly and say, this I have done.”
“My CreedI do not choose to be a common man,It is my right to be uncommon … if I can,I seek opportunity … not security.I do not wish to be a kept citizen.Humbled and dulled by having theState look after me.I want to take the calculated risk;To dream and to build.To fail and to succeed.I refuse to barter incentive for a dole;I prefer the challenges of lifeTo the guaranteed existence;The thrill of fulfillmentTo the stale calm of Utopia.I will not trade freedom for beneficenceNor my dignity for a handoutI will never cower before any masterNor bend to any threat.It is my heritage to stand erect.Proud and unafraid;To think and act for myself,To enjoy the benefit of my creationsAnd to face the world boldly and say:This, with God’s help, I have doneAll this is what it meansTo be an Entrepreneur.”