The Gustave L. and Janet W. Levy Library
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ArchivesCollectionsSelected: Gustave L. LevySummary | Background | Biography | Subjects | Container List SummaryCreator: Gustave L. Levy
BackgroundThis collection came to the Mount Sinai Archives from the Levy Library. They received the material from the Development Office, which found it in a closet. A few items listed as Addenda in the container list were already at the Archives. This memorabilia seems to have been gathered for the dedication wall when the Levy Library was being decorated for its 1974 opening. Some of the framed material have Goldman, Sachs and Co. labels on the back and probably had once been in Mr. Levy's office there. Some of the items have been removed from their frames for preservation reasons. BiographyGustave Lehmann Levy became a trustee of The Mount Sinai Hospital in 1960. At his death on November 3, 1976, he was Chairman of the Boards of the Mount Sinai Medical Center, The Mount Sinai Hospital, and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Gustave Levy was born in New Orleans on May 23, 1910. He was educated at Tulane University and took his first job on Wall Street in 1928. He spent the rest of his life working in the financial district of New York. He became a partner at Goldman, Sachs and Company in 1946 and was still with that firm at his death. In 1934 he married Janet Wolf. They had two children: Peter A. and Betty Levy Hess. Mr. Levy was very involved in philanthropic activities. The list of organizations he worked with, or was an officer of, is tremendous. Of note here is his work with the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, beginning in 1954, and the United Jewish Appeal of Greater New York, Inc., from 1968. During his years at Mount Sinai Mr. Levy oversaw the most intense period of change in the institution's history. When he became a trustee in 1960, the planning for the medical school was in its initial stages. The ensuing years, with Levy as President and then Chairman+, saw the establishment of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the achievement of a university affiliation, the $154 million fundraising effort for the medical school building and endowment, the planning and erection of the Annenberg Building, (in recognition of Mr. Levy's contributions the library was named for he and his wife) the Cummings Basic Science Building was purchased and renovated, a faculty was recruited, including the first Dean of the medical school, Medicare and Medicaid were implemented, etc. On October 26, 1976 Gustave Levy suffered a stroke while attending a meeting of the Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He died at Mount Sinai Hospital on November 3. He was 66 years old. Subjects
Container ListAwardsBeta Gamma Sigma: Membership certificate, April 28, 1971. Herbert H. Lehman Human Relations Award, American Jewish Committee, April 23, 1968. (framed, mounted in blue velvet) Jewish Publication Society of America, awarded in appreciation of his distinguished service as V.P., 1969-72, April 30, 1972. Condecoracion Nacional de la Orden de Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Gran Cruz, October 15, 1970. Tulane University, Citation at presentation of Doctor of Laws degree, n.d. Mounted pottery "lantern" presented by UJA-Federation for participation, leadership in Joint Campaign, 1975-1976. John T. Madden Memorial Medal (encased in plastic) from NYU awarded to distinguished alumnus, 1967. Also have accompanying citation. Science Fellow Award presented by Belfer Graduate School of Science, Yeshiva University, 1965. University of Virginia, Business Forum: Jefferson Cup (silver), January 31, 1973. Odyssey House: Second Annual Odyssey of the Year Award, June 5, 1975. (Also have a color photo). Medals/MemorabiliaFordham University President's Club, 1975-76. Richard M. Nixon campaign medal "With Appreciation to Our Fellow Campaigners", November 1960. Southland Corporation, Our 5000th 7-Eleven, August 1974. Leidesdorf Garden Dedication in Memory of Samuel D. Leidesdorf, June 1974. (In wooden display case) Bronze statue of running greyhound. (5 x 2) Clippings, 1968. 2 pages from Fortune, May 1968 on NY Stock Exchange. Article from Finance, May 1968 on Levy. Booklet on Board of Governors of NY Stock Exchange, 1967-68. Menu from dinner commemorating the 100th anniversary of Goldman, Sachs & Company, December 15, 1969. Cartoon by A.S. Habbick depicting G.L. Levy, with cover letter. Report by Real Estate Research Corp. on land in Salt Lake City, Utah, 1968. Photographs *G.L. Levy and woman at awards dinner for Odyssey House medal, June 5, 1975. (Color) G.L. Levy receiving medal?, rank? in Army, n.d. Scrapbook from Pro Deo Conference in Rome, June 22-24, 1967 showing an audience with the Pope, and working groups (b & w and color) * Witco Chemical Corporation Board of Directors meeting, June 21, 1968. G.L. Levy and Margaret Trudeau, Autographed by M.T. and Pierre Trudeau, n.d. Photo by John Evans, Ottawa Pierre Trudeau with others at function, Inscribed to G.L. Levy, n.d.; John Evans of Ottawa, Photographer * 20 misc. photographs:
AddendaTulane University, Doctor of Laws degree, June 2, 1969. (framed) Institute of Judicial Administration, Membership, September 1969 New York University, Whitman House Fellowship, November 2, 1967 Talcott National Corporation, Resolution on GLL's death, November 23, 1976 *A11 but those marked with an asterisk (*) have been placed in the Photograph Collection under Levy, Gustave L. |
