"From the Vaults" is the RIAS library and archives blog, in which we highlight remarkable historical persons and events through documents from our collections.
Not just the name behind the airport, Fiorello La Guardia, Mayor of New York (1933-1945) was one of the most effective and charismatic American politicians inthe years between the two World Wars. He was a multi-lingual and cosmopolitan figure, adept at navigating the diverse electoral coalitions of early twentieth century New York, and a politician who transcended party lines when occasion called for it. Read more.