Representative Irwin Delmore Davidson

Irwin Delmore Davidson (January 2, 1906 – August 1, 1981) was an American lawyer, jurist, and politician who served one term as a Democratic-Liberal member of the United States House of Representatives from New York from 1955 to 1956. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented his New York district in Congress during a significant period in American history, contributing to the legislative process during his single term in office. Over the course of his public career, he also served in the New York State Assembly and later as a justice of the New York Supreme Court from 1963 to 1974.

Davidson was born on January 2, 1906, in New York City. He was educated in the city and pursued higher education at New York University, from which he graduated in 1927. He continued his studies at New York University School of Law, earning his law degree in 1928. Following his admission to the bar, he entered the practice of law, establishing the professional foundation that would support his later work as a legislator and judge.

Davidson’s political career began at the state level. He was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 1937. After an initial term, he returned to the Assembly and served again from 1939 to 1948. During this extended period of legislative service, he sat in the 162nd, 163rd, 164th, 165th, and 166th New York State Legislatures. His years in the Assembly coincided with the late New Deal era, World War II, and the immediate postwar period, giving him experience with a wide range of legislative issues affecting both New York and the nation.

Building on his state legislative record, Davidson was elected as a Democratic-Liberal candidate to the 84th United States Congress. He held office as a Representative from New York from January 3, 1955, to December 31, 1956, when he resigned before the completion of his term. During his tenure in the House of Representatives, he participated in the democratic process at the federal level and represented the interests of his constituents in New York, serving in Congress at a time marked by Cold War tensions and the early stages of the modern civil rights movement.

After leaving Congress, Davidson continued his legal and public service career in New York. In 1963, he was elevated to the judiciary as a justice of the New York Supreme Court, one of the state’s principal trial courts of general jurisdiction. He served on that court from 1963 to 1974, presiding over a broad range of civil and criminal matters during a period of significant social and legal change. His judicial service capped a long career in public life that spanned legislative and judicial responsibilities.

Irwin Delmore Davidson died at his home at Premium Point in New Rochelle, New York, on August 1, 1981. His career reflected decades of engagement in public affairs as a lawyer, state legislator, member of Congress, and state supreme court justice, and he is remembered among the Jewish members who have served in the United States Congress.