NYU celebrated the 250th anniversary of the birth of Albert Gallatin, a founding father of both the United States of America and NYU, on Sept. 23 at the school bearing his name, NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study.
NYU celebrated the 250th anniversary of the birth of Albert Gallatin, a founding father of both the United States of America and NYU, on Sept. 23 at the school bearing his name, NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. President John Sexton, Gallatin Dean Susanne Wofford, Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey, and Nicholas Dungan, parent of a Gallatin alumnus and author of "Gallatin: America’s Swiss Founding Father" (NYU Press) spoke at the event, which was held in the Jerry H. Labowitz Theatre for the Performing Arts.
Gallatin, who was born January 29, 1761 and who emigrated from Switzerland to America in 1780, served as secretary of the treasury in the Jefferson and Madison administrations—the longest-serving treasury secretary in U.S. history. Gallatin, who also was president of the New-York Historical Society, is buried in Trinity churchyard at Broadway and Wall Street.