Origins & Early Life

Thomas Edmund Dewey (March 24, 1902 – March 16, 1971) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 47th governor of New York from 1943 to 1954. He was the Republican Party's nominee for president of the United States in 1944 and 1948, respectively losing these elections to Democratic presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

As a New York City prosecutor and District Attorney in the 1930s and early 1940s, Dewey was relentless in his effort to curb the power of the American Mafia and of organized crime in general. Most famously, he successfully prosecuted Mafia boss Charles "Lucky" Luciano on charges of forced prostitution in 1936. Luciano was given a 30- to 50-year prison sentence. He also prosecuted and convicted Waxey Gordon, another prominent New York City gangster and bootlegger, on charges of tax evasion. Dewey almost succeeded in apprehending mobster Dutch Schultz as well, but Schultz was murdered in 1935, in a hit ordered by the Commission.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

A progressive conservative, Dewey led the moderate faction of the Republican Party during the 1940s and 1950s, in opposition to the more conservative Ohio Senator Robert A. Taft. Dewey served as the 47th governor of...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abe Saperstein — Contemporary (Born in 1902) (1902): Founder of the Harlem Globetrotters, revolutionized black basketball.
• Albert Anastasia — Contemporary (Born in 1902) (1902): Italian-American mob boss, co-founder of Murder, Inc., and boss of the Gambino crime family.
• Alfred Kastler — Contemporary (Born in 1902) (1902): Pioneering physicist known for developing the technique of optical pumping.
• Abd El-Razzak El-Sanhuri — Contemporary (Died in 1971) (1971): Pioneering Egyptian jurist, celebrated for authoring the revised Civil Code of 1948.
• Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — Contemporary (Born in 1971) (1971): Iraqi militant leader and founder of the Islamic State (IS)
• Adriano Giannini — Contemporary (Born in 1971) (1971): Italian actor known for dubbing and roles in film and television.
• Alan Sugar — Shared historical date (03-24 · Born) (1947): Pioneering British entrepreneur, founder of Amstrad, and TV personality.
• Albert Uderzo — Shared historical date (03-24 · Died) (2020): Pioneering French comic artist, co-creator of the iconic Astérix series.
• Alexander S. Wiener — Shared historical date (03-16 · Born) (1907): Pioneering American biologist known for discoveries in serology and immunogenetics.
• Anna Atkins — Shared historical date (03-16 · Born) (1799): Pioneering botanist and photographer, credited with the first illustrated book using photos.
• 1902 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1902
• March 24 (03-24) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 24
• 1971 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1971
• March 16 (03-16) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 16