Simeon Golar

Simeon Golar (1928–2013) was an American jurist who served as a justice of the New York State Supreme Court in Queens County.[1]

Early life and education

Golar was born in 1928 in Chester, South Carolina, to teenage mother Lottie Jackson and was adopted soon afterwards by the Golar family.[2] He moved to New York City as a small child and attended the city's public schools.[2] After earning a business degree from the City College of New York, he attended the New York University School of Law, where one of his classmates was future mayor David Dinkins.[2]

Career

Golar entered politics with the Liberal Party and in 1966 ran, unsuccessfully but notably for the era, for New York State attorney general, polling nearly 285,000 votes.[3] In 1967, Mayor John V. Lindsay appointed him chairman of the New York City Commission on Human Rights, where he urged civic groups to file discrimination complaints to test the city's fair-housing laws.[4] Three years later, Lindsay elevated him to NYCHA chair, making Golar the first head of the authority who had himself grown up in public housing.[5][6] His tenure coincided with the contentious Forest Hills low-income housing plan, where he defended integration in the face of fierce community opposition.[7]

Personal life

In 1956, Golar married Brooklyn schoolteacher Pauline Wellington and they had two daughters, Katherine and Charlotte Golar Richie, who served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and ran for mayor of Boston.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ Roberts, Sam (2013-08-14). "Simeon Golar, Who Fought for Public Housing, Dies at 84". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
  2. ^ a b c d "Obituary: Simeon Golar, former N.Y. judge, father of Boston mayoral candidate Charlotte Golar Richie – The Bay State Banner". baystatebanner.com. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
  3. ^ a b "Charlotte Golar Richie's father, a New York judge, dies". www.boston.com. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
  4. ^ "Human Rights Commission Chairman Urges Filing of Complaint Against Housing Bias". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
  5. ^ "Simeon Golar appointed Chairman of Housing Authority; Mayor John V. Lindsay answers questions on 30-cent fare, 1970 January 16 | NYCMA Collection Guides". a860-collectionguides.nyc.gov. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
  6. ^ "1,000 HONOR GOLAR, INCLUDING LINDSAY". The New York Times. 1973-06-14. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
  7. ^ "School Colors Episode 3: 'The Battle of Forest Hills' : Code Switch". NPR. 2022-05-20. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
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