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Creator
Baum, Morton, 1905-1968
Call number
*LPA Mss 1992-001
Physical description
12.7 linear feet (32 boxes)
Preferred Citation

Guide to the Morton Baum Papers, 1938-1968 *LPA Mss 1992-001 . Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Repository
Jerome Robbins Dance Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

Morton Baum was the chair of City Center’s Finance Committee from 1943 to 1968. In the 1960s he became its managing director. City Center was responsible for presenting many of the most important dance, music, opera and drama companies in New York City during the middle of the 20th Century. Baum was also instrumental in bringing that same quality of the arts to the newly-formed Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc. The collection consists of administrative and financial material used in the creation and running of City Center. It also includes administrative and financial material about the creation of Lincoln Center of the Performing Arts.

Biographical/historical information

Morton Baum was born in Manhattan on December 28, 1905. He graduated from Columbia College in 1925 and from Harvard Law School in 1928. He practiced law in partnership with his brother Lester in Manhattan.

Baum’s public service began early in his career and continued throughout his life. From 1930 to 1934, he served as Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 1934 he became a New York City councilman and a special tax counsel to Mayor Fiorella La Guardia. He was a consultant to Mayor Lindsay’s Commission on City Finances. Baum devised and introduced the current New York City sales tax system. Baum served on the finance committee of the Metropolitan Opera Association. In 1943 the New York City Center was incorporated. The opening performance was held on December 11, 1943 (the Mayor’s birthday), featuring the New York Philharmonic. Newbold Morris became the chairman of the City Center, with Morton Baum as a member of the executive committee as well as chairman of the finance committee.

Before it became The New York City Center the building was name The Mecca Temple, built by the Shriner’s in 1924. It was located on West 55th Street. The building was taken over by the City for non-payment of taxes. Mayor La Guardia and City Council President Newbold Morris decided that the City should utilize the building as a theater to provide “the best in entertainment at the lowest possible prices.”

In the early 1960s Morton Baum was instrumental in securing the City Center as constituent member of the newly-formed Lincoln Center. City Center would control the New York State Theater into which the New York City Ballet moved in 1964. Baum was a member of the Lincoln Center board until his death.

In 1966, after the death of Newbold Morris, Morton Baum became the new chairman of the City Center. Morton Baum died on February 7, 1968, at age 62 of a heart attack .

Scope and arrangement

The Morton Baum Papers document the City Center for Music and Drama Inc. document the formation and administration from 1943 to 1968. City Center was responsible for presenting many of the most important dance, music, opera, and drama companies and events of the mid-20th Century.

The papers include the administrative and financial records of the City Center and its many constituents, including The Metropolitan Opera, The New York City Ballet, The New York City Drama Company, The New York City Opera Company and many more. Also in the collection are materials about the organizing of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, including correspondence, financial material, annual reports and minutes from Board of Directors meetings, contracts, press releases, and writings about Lincoln Center. There are no personal materials in the collection.

The Morton Baum papers are arranged in four series:

  • Series I: City Center for Music and Drama, Inc.
    1940 - 1968

    This series contains material about the formation and administration of the City Center for Music and Drama Inc. It includes correspondence, financial material, minutes from Board of Directors meetings, and press releases. There are also clippings, contracts, histories and chronologies. In addition, there is also material concerning the Friends of City Center organization. Grant applications and tax material is also included. Scrapbooks were created from clippings.

  • Series II: Constituents
    1938 - 1968

    This series contains material about constituent organizations that made their home at the City Center and later at Lincoln Center. The organizations are: American National Theatre and Academy, The Mecca Temple, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet, The New York City Drama Company, the New York City Light Opera Company, the New York City Musical Theater Company, the New York City Opera Company, the New York City Symphony, the New York City Theatre Company, the New York State Theater, and the Repertory Theatre of Lincoln Center.

    The material about each constituent varies widely. However, there are some things in common, including correspondence, financial material (including weekly statements), press releases, clippings, season schedules, tickets, brochures and programs. Variously there is also tour schedules, writings, and grant applications.

  • Series III: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
    1956 - 1968

    This series contains material about the formation and administration of Lincoln Center for Performing Arts, Inc. It includes correspondence, financial material, annual reports and minutes from Board of Directors meetings. There are also clippings, contracts, press releases, histories and chronologies. Grant applications, festival schedules, sub-lease agreements and writings about Lincoln Center.

  • Series IV: Oversized Material
    1955 - 1967

    This series contains blueprints of Mecca Temple which became City Center. There are clippings, including special tabloids from the New York Times from the opening of Lincoln Center. Information booklets, tear sheets and programs round out the material.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

The Morton Baum Papers were donated to the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in 1979 by Lester Baum.

Processing information

Processed by Leslie Reyman; Machine-readable finding aid created by Leslie Reyman.

Related Material

Jerome Robbins Dance Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and Music Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

Using the collection

Location

Jerome Robbins Dance Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, contact the Curator, Jerome Robbins Dance Division.