About the Foundation

Albert H Blumenthal (Al) was a Reform Democrat who represented the 69th Assembly District on Manhattan’s west Side during the 1960's and 1970's.  He ran for Mayor of New York in the Democratic Primary in 1973 and as the Liberal Candidate in the same year’s General Election.  As Majority Leader of the New York State Assembly he championed Health Care Issues, Abortion Rights, Civil Liberties, women’s issues and reform political causes.  He was an active member of the ACLU, the Worker’s Defense League and the New York State Law Revision Commission.  He also maintained an active law practice as a member of Louis B. Nizer’s law firm.

When he passed away at an early age in 1984 his family and friends wished to establish an entity in his name that would pass on the principals that he had championed to younger generations.  Since he had taught political science at Hunter College, Donna Shalala, then President of Hunter College, offered to help establish a Lecture Series in his name.  In 1988 a group of his friends and family raised funds to begin the Blumenthal Lecture Series at Hunter College.  In that year the New York State Legislature passed a bill to donate funds to that endeavor.

Over the next twenty years, a number of speakers, starting with Archibald Cox and ending with the ACLU’s Anthony Romero delivered lectures to Hunter students and guests on the subject of political science and public affairs.  In the beginning of the 21st century, the family and the Lecture Committee considered changing the direction of the series and decided that the funds would be better utilized as scholarships to political science students, particularly those who intend to enter public service.  These scholarships continue to be awarded every two years to deserving students.