Thousands fly into LaGuardia Airport everyday. Few however, realize that the name "LaGuardia" was not for its Italian translation of "guard," but rather to commemorate one of New York City's greatest mayors, Fiorello Henry LaGuardia. Although he stood just above 5 feet, "Little Flower," as he was affectionately nicknamed, made an impact on the city that far outweighed his physical appearance. Devoting the bulk of his life to public service, LaGuardia is remembered as a fiery advocate for the downtrodden and underrepresented, and as a modernizer with a sense of humanity.

LaGuardia was born on December 11, 1882 to an Italian Catholic father and an observant Jewish mother who just two years before, had immigrated to New York City from Trieste, Italy. A gifted linguist, LaGuardia took his first job with the US Consular Service serving in Budapest, Trieste and Fiume, and Hungary. Six years later, however, he returned to New York City after being advised that his Jewish roots and lack of an ivy-league education would prevent him from succeeding in diplomacy. Back in New York City, LaGuardia, now fluent in five languages-English, Yiddish, German, French, and Italian-worked as a translator at Ellis Island while attending New York University Law School at night. As the son of two immigrants, the hardships and successes of the immigrant experience struck a personal chord with LaGuardia.

Looking back on the emotionally taxing job, LaGuardia remarked, "[Many immigrants] were found to be suffering from trachoma, and their exclusion was mandatory. It was harrowing to see families separated. Sometimes, if it was a young child who suffered from trachoma, one of the parents had to return to their native country with the rejected member of the family. When they learned their fate, they were stunned. They had never felt ill. They could see all right, and they had no homes to return to." (From, Coming to America by Daniel Rogers).

Upon graduating from law school, LaGuardia devoted several years to the representation of immigrant garment workers in court. Although his tendency to represent his clients free of charge left him with little money, it did earn him a great reputation among the immigrant population of the Lower East Side.

When in 1916 he ran against the incumbent Congressman from the Lower East side, the base of support he had built proved instrumental in his narrow victory. He would remain in congress until 1932 establishing a reputation as a progressive leader fighting for unfair immigration restrictions and labor unions.

By 1933 his popularity had grown so strong that he was elected mayor of the City of New York. On his first day in office, he delivered a radio address to the nation, declaring: "New York City was restored to the people this morning at one minute after midnight. It is my duty from now on to guard and protect and guide the complete, peaceful and undisturbed enjoyment of that possession." Over the next three terms as mayor, he kept this pledge fighting corruption and placing the city's interests ahead of politics. Using the federal aid money from the New Deal programs, he directed the construction of roads, bridges, and tunnels. However, his modernizing vision was accompanied with a strong sense of humanity. Along with the bridges and tunnels he funded the construction of parks, playgrounds, and public housing.

LaGuardia passed away on September 20, 1947 from pancreatic cancer. Although today he is remembered as one of New York City's greatest mayors, his contributions exceed the realm of politics. "The Little Flower" was also as a humanist and an advocate for the less fortunate. LaGuardia once said, "It makes no difference if I burn my bridges behind me - I never retreat." His refusal to succumb to the temptations of politics and his unfaltering commitment to the improvement of the city and the people he represented prove that LaGuardia never did "retreat."

More on Fiorello LaGuardia: His Life of Great Accomplishments by Dr. Philip E. Schoenberg

Fiorello LaGuardia was born on 177 Sullivan Street, just south of Washington Square Park, then part of an Italian immigrant neighborhood known as "Little Italy" in Manhattan. There is a statue in his honor a few blocks to the east on LaGuardia Place. A bronze bust of Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia was created by the portrait sculptor Jo Davidson (1883¬1952) in 1934. Twenty-three years, it was dedicated on September 20, 1957 in what was formerly La Guardia Houses Park, now known as Little Flower Playground, for LaGuardia's nickname - derived from the translation of his first name and his diminutive size. The park is on the Lower East Side.

LaGuardia considered Prescott, Arizona to be his hometown where his father was stationed as a military bandmaster. The trademark hat he wore was actually a cowboy hat.

His father was a Protestant from the old country, Italy. His mother was Jewish who lit shabbes candles. His sister married a Hungarian Jew and survived the Holocaust. He became an Episcopalian.

When Fiorello was stationed as an immigrant inspector in Fiume, Austria-Hungary he refused to permit the ships carrying immigrants to leave unless they hired a doctor to check their health. He wanted to avoid the tragedy of immigrants being turned away from Ellis Island because of health problems. When the immigrant steerage companies protested to Congress, it decided that Fiorello's innovation should be made into law. The companies were told they would have to pay for the passage of rejected immigrants. They hired doctors to inspect the immigrants before they left home.

Fiorello had a D average at NYU law school. Fiorello was not one to keep grudges. He later appointed his legal and Democratic opponent for mayor, Jimmy Walker, as a labor arbitrator for the city when he fell upon hard times.

A Tammany Hall Democratic accused him of being an anti-Semite during a Congressional campaign. He promptly challenged his Jewish opponent to a debate in Yiddish. His challenger was a no-show because he knew no Yiddish. Very much a radical, Fiorello drew voters away from the Socialist Party to win Congressional elections. In turn, the grateful Republican Party kept on nominating him for Congress. Fiorello took a leave of absence from Congress to serve as an aviator on the Italian front during World War I.

His proudest legislative achievement was the Norris-La Guardia Act (also known as the Anti-Injunction Bill) of 1932 that made yellow-dog contracts illegal. He was successful in opposing a national sales tax proposed by the Hoover administration. Ironically, he would introduce a 1% sales tax as mayor of New York that now has morphed into an 8 1/2% tax.

As Mayor, Fiorello fought corruption. He centralized and modernized the city government. As mayor he loved to chase fires. During a laundry labor strike, management demanded the city be neutral. Fiorello declared the city would be neutral. He shut down the water supply. His most iconic image is that of reading the "funnies" during a newspaper strike over the municipal radio. One of his key allies was Victor Marcantonio, a protege who remained very much a radical. Victor helped arrange that Fiorello's supporters would outslug Tammany Hall's sluggers to keep the ballot box honest.

At one point, Fiorello refused to get off a "Washington-New York" flight that landed at Newark Airport in New Jersey. He was finally flown to Bennet Naval Airfield in Brooklyn when he declared "I bought a ticket to a New York airport." This was a publicity gimmick that resulted in the city acquiring North Beach in which an airport was built. It was renamed in his honor as LaGuardia Airport. There is a wonderful bust of him inside the Marine Air Terminal of LaGuardia Airport.

The municipal college system expanded from Downtown and Uptown City College and Hunter College to include Brooklyn College and Queens College.

Fiorello's Dubious Legacy by Philip E. Schoenberg

Unfortunately, while LaGuardia did a lot of good, he also left a dubious legacy. First, Fred Siegel in The Future Once Happened Here analyzed the fiscal policies of New York, and Los Angeles Washington, DC. NYC got more than its fair share of New Deal dollars. Post-LaGuardia politicians increased taxes or borrowed the money when NYC did not get federal funding instead of reigning in expenses to meet revenues. This resulted in the fiscal crisis of the early 1970s.

The city took over the two private subway lines in 1940 to create a unified subway system. Except for the incorporation of the existing Long Island Railroad line in the Far Rockaway after World War II, subway expansion has come to a virtual halt. The Board of Estimate's grand plans in 1940 for future expansion have failed to come to fruition.

Rent control installed as an emergency measure in 1943 still remains with us today. Congressman Charles Rangel with his wife occupies three rent-controlled apartments while he fights for affordable rental housing for his fellow New Yorkers. Nobody is rushing to build rental apartments when they can make more money building coops, condos, and private homes. You don't need the headache of going to court or before the city council or a government agency to have rents decided by somebody else.

On the hot night of August 2, 1943 a riot occurred in Harlem. Tensions reached their breaking point when a black soldier was shot in the shoulder by a white policeman. He attempted to intervene in an arrested. Rumors circulated that he had been killed, and thousands took to the streets, rioting, looting, and clashing with police. Five people died and five hundred were arrested. The immediate causes were high unemployment and high food prices. LaGuardia failed to address the real cause which was racism.

Fiorello also expelled Bertrand Russell as a professor of philosophy from the City College of New York for believing in free love. He also closed down Townsend Harris High School, an elite institute, at the City College, which has been successfully revived at Queens College.