Robert F. Wagner, Jr.

Robert Ferdinand Wagner III (January 6, 1944 – November 15, 1993) was an American politician and public servant. He was a New York City civic leader who served as Deputy Mayor of the City of New York, and President of the New York City Board of Education. He is often confused with his father of the same name, Robert F. Wagner Jr., who served as Manhattan Borough President and Mayor of the City of New York during Robert III's youth. He was also the grandson of Senator Robert Ferdinand Wagner I. He changed his name to Robert F. Wagner Jr. after his father dropped the "Jr".

Biography

Robert III was the son of Robert Ferdinand Wagner II and his first wife Susan. Robert III was nine years old when his father, the Manhattan Borough President, was elected to the first of three terms as Mayor of New York City. He was educated at the Buckley School in Manhattan, Phillips Exeter Academy, graduated from Harvard University in 1965, studied abroad at the University of Sussex, and then earned an MPA with a concentration in Urban Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University.

Public service

Wagner was an elected City Councilman-at-large in Manhattan. He lost the Democratic primary for Manhattan Borough President (his father's old job) to Andrew Stein in 1977, which seemingly ended the possibility of Wagner ascending to higher elected office. He served as Deputy Mayor for Policy, chairman of the City Planning Commission,