Carl McCall, former comptroller for the State of New York, was the first African American nominated by the Democratic Party for the office of governor. McCall lost the election to Republican incumbent governor George Pataki. As comptroller from 1994 to 2002, McCall was the first African American to win statewide office in New York.
McCall was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1935. In 1958 he graduated from Dartmouth College and then attended the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. McCall eventually received an M.A. degree from Andover-Newton Theological School located in Massachusetts.
In 1994, in his first bid for statewide office, McCall was elected New York comptroller. McCall was reelected in 1998 winning over one million votes. As comptroller McCall, the state’s chief fiscal officer, audited the state government and public authorities of New York and served as the state’s sole pension fund trustee.
Before his election as comptroller McCall had established a long and distinguished career in public service. He was deputy administrator of the New York City Human Resources Administration from 1966 until 1969. In 1975 he was elected to the New York State Senate representing Harlem. In 1982, McCall was the unsuccessful candidate for Lieutenant Governor running on a ticket with Mario Cuomo for Governor. Cuomo won his race and appointed McCall to serve as the State Commissioner of Human Rights.
McCall also served as a vice president of Citibank in New York and vice president of New York Public Television Station WNET. While at Citibank McCall was appointed President of the New York City Board of Education. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and served on the board of the New York Stock Exchange from 1999 to 2003.
McCall is also an ordained minister with the United Church of Christ. He has received the Nelson A. Rockefeller Award for Distinguished Public Service. McCall is married to Dr. Joyce Brown, President of Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. They have a daughter, Marci. The McCalls live in New York City.