My guest today is Mr. Bernard Bellush, who currently resides with his wife Jewel in Valhalla, NY. He is the author of the scholarly work, “Franklin D. Roosevelt as Governor of New York,” which was published by the Columbia University Press in 1955. Mr. Bellush was a professor at City College in New York City. Mr. Bellush, in writing this unique book, came into contact with some of the intellectual giants of that era, which include Allan Nevins, Herman Kahn, Richard B. Morris, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and Frank Freidel, one of FDR’s greatest biographers.

Download | Duration: 00:53:54

                   

As of this past November, Professor Bellush turned 90 years old. He was born, raised, and educated in New York City’s great public schools as well as its outstanding City College. He took 3 years off from his graduate work at Columbia University to be further educated by the Army of the USA. Part of that experience involved landing on Omaha Beach on D-Day to help set up the first ammunition depot as a Sergeant with the 616th Ordnance Ammunition Company. The GI Bill of Rights, one of the greatest pieces of legislation ever created by Franklin Roosevelt, helped him complete his doctorate at Columbia. His first book, done with the editorial assistance from his wife Jewel, was “Franklin D. Roosevelt as Governor of New York.”  While teaching at CCNY he authored other books on the NRA, a biography of Governor John G Winant of New Hampshire, and with joint authorship with his wife Jewel, “Union Power in New York.” For the last 5 years, he and his wife have been kept busy lecturing at their Senior Community, Westchester Meadows, on Political and Historical subjects.