Representative Herbert Zelenko

Herbert Zelenko (March 16, 1906 – February 23, 1979) was an American politician and attorney who served as a Democratic U.S. Representative from New York from 1955 to 1963. Of Polish origin and Jewish heritage, he was born in New York City, New York, where he was raised and educated in the city’s public schools. His early life in New York City, within an immigrant community, helped shape his understanding of urban issues and the concerns of working- and middle-class constituents that he would later represent in Congress.

Zelenko pursued higher education at Columbia University, graduating in 1926. He continued his studies at Columbia Law School, from which he received his law degree in 1928. The following year, in 1929, he was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in New York City. His legal career developed in the highly competitive environment of New York’s legal community, where he built a reputation as a capable attorney.

In addition to private practice, Zelenko held several professional positions that broadened his legal and public-service experience. He served as an assistant United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, a role in which he participated in the enforcement of federal law in one of the nation’s most prominent judicial districts. He was also a lecturer for the Practising Law Institute and the Law Science Institute, contributing to the continuing legal education of other attorneys and demonstrating a commitment to the development of legal scholarship and professional standards.

Zelenko entered national politics as a member of the Democratic Party and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from New York in the 1954 election. He was elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-fourth and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving four consecutive terms from January 3, 1955, to January 3, 1963. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, encompassing the Eisenhower and early Kennedy administrations, the intensification of the Cold War, and the beginnings of the modern civil rights movement. As a member of the House of Representatives, Herbert Zelenko participated in the legislative process, contributed to debates on national policy, and represented the interests of his New York constituents in a time of substantial social and political change.

Throughout his eight years in Congress, Zelenko worked within the Democratic caucus on issues affecting his largely urban district, including matters related to housing, labor, and social welfare, while also engaging with broader national concerns characteristic of the postwar era. Although specific committee assignments and legislative initiatives are less extensively documented, his repeated reelection to the Eighty-fourth, Eighty-fifth, Eighty-sixth, and Eighty-seventh Congresses reflected sustained support from his constituents and his standing within New York’s Democratic political structure. In 1962, he sought renomination to the Eighty-eighth Congress but was an unsuccessful candidate, bringing his congressional career to a close on January 3, 1963.

After leaving Congress, Zelenko resumed the practice of law in New York City, returning to the profession in which he had been engaged before his election to federal office. He continued his legal work in the city where he had spent his entire professional life, maintaining his involvement in the legal community and drawing on his experience as both a practitioner and former legislator.

Herbert Zelenko died in New York City on February 23, 1979, due to a stomach ulcer. He was buried at Sharon Gardens in Valhalla, New York. His career reflected the trajectory of a New York City attorney who rose to national office during a transformative era in American politics, serving four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and participating in the democratic process on behalf of his constituents.