Robert Ferdinand Wagner III (January 6, 1944 – November 15, 1993) was an American politician and public servant. He was a

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

civic leader who served as the Deputy Mayor of the City of New York, and President of the

New York City Board of Education The Panel for Educational Policy of the Department of Education of the City School District of the City of New York, abbreviated as the Panel for Educational Policy and also known as the New York City Board of Education, is the governing body of ...

. He is often confused with his father of the same name,

Robert F. Wagner Jr. Robert Ferdinand Wagner II (April 20, 1910 – February 12, 1991) was an American politician who served three terms as the mayor of New York City from 1954 through 1965. When running for his third term, he broke with the Tammany Hall leadership ...

, who served as Manhattan Borough President and

Mayor of the City of New York The mayor of New York City, officially Mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property ...

during Robert III's youth. He was also the grandson of Senator

Robert Ferdinand Wagner I Robert Ferdinand Wagner I (June 8, 1877May 4, 1953) was an American politician. He was a Democratic U.S. Senator from New York from 1927 to 1949. Born in Prussia, Wagner migrated with his family to the United States in 1885. After graduating ...

. He changed his name to Robert F. Wagner Jr. after his father dropped the "Jr".

Biography

Robert III was the son of

Robert Ferdinand Wagner II Robert Ferdinand Wagner II (April 20, 1910 – February 12, 1991) was an American politician who served three terms as the mayor of New York City from 1954 through 1965. When running for his third term, he broke with the Tammany Hall leadership ...

and his first wife Susan. Robert III was nine years old when his father, the

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

Borough President, was elected to the first of three terms as the Mayor of

The City of New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Uni ...

. He was educated at the Buckley School in Manhattan,

Phillips Exeter Academy (not for oneself) la, Finis Origine Pendet (The End Depends Upon the Beginning) gr, Χάριτι Θεοῦ (By the Grace of God) , location = 20 Main Street , city = Exeter, New Hampshire , zipcode ...

, graduated from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

in 1965, studied abroad at the

University of Sussex , mottoeng = Be Still and Know , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £14.4 million (2020) , budget = £319.6 million (2019–20) , chancellor = Sanjeev Bhaskar , vice_chancellor = Sasha Roseneil , ...

, and then earned an MPA with a concentration in Urban Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

. On November 15, 1993, Wagner died in

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

, while researching a book he was writing on urban America. He had complained of flu-like symptoms to friends in the two days preceding his death, but had not sought medical treatment. He was survived by his younger brother Duncan. A memorial service was held for him at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Public service

Wagner was an elected City Councilman-at-large in

. He lost the Democratic primary for Manhattan Borough President (his father's old job) to

Andrew Stein Andrew Stein (born Andrew J. Finkelstein; March 4, 1945) is an American Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician who served on the New York City Council and was its last president, and as Manhattan Borough President. Early life St ...

in 1977, which seemingly ended the possibility of Wagner ascending to higher elected office. He served as Deputy Mayor for Policy, Head of the City Planning Commission, Head of the Health and Hospitals Commission, and President of the

under New York City Mayor Edward Koch. Wagner later served as a Senior Policy Adviser to New York City mayors and New York governors for over twenty years. Primarily a Democrat, he supported Republican-Liberal

Rudolph Giuliani Rudolph William Louis Giuliani (, ; born May 28, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 107th Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. He previously served as the United States Associate Attorney General from 1981 to 198 ...

in his candidacy for mayor against David Dinkins. At the time of his death, Wagner was serving as Senior Policy Adviser to Mayor-Elect Giuliani, who was expected to return Wagner to his post as a Deputy Mayor; was chairman of the civic group Citizens Union; was vice-president of the polling organization LH Research; and had expressed an interest in joining the Democratic Presidential administration of

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

in an urban policy capacity – his expertise.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wagner, Robert F. Jr 1944 births 1993 deaths New York City Council members New York (state) Democrats New York (state) Republicans School board members in New York (state) Harvard University alumni Princeton School of Public and International Affairs alumni 20th-century American politicians Buckley School (New York City) alumni Phillips Exeter Academy alumni