Drum Major Institute

The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy was an American progressive think tank and community-action organization based in New York City. Its roots extended to the civil-rights era, when lawyer Harry H. Wachtel founded the Drum Major Foundation in 1961. Wachtel was a New York attorney and adviser to Martin Luther King Jr., and the organization took its name from King's use of the phrase “drum major instinct,” which he connected to the desire for leadership and public recognition. King ultimately reframed that instinct as a positive commitment to justice, peace, and righteousness. The original organization became largely inactive after King's assassination in April 1968. It was revived in 1999 by Martin Luther King III, William Wachtel, and Andrew Young, a close associate of King. Following the relaunch, the organization operated under the Drum Major Institute name and presented itself as a progressive policy and civic-engagement institution. Its stated purpose was to develop practical policy approaches intended to promote social progress and improve the economic position of ordinary and middle-class Americans. DMI worked across several policy areas. Immigration policy was one recurring focus, as were opposition to tort-reform proposals that the institute believed could restrict access to civil justice. More broadly, it advocated policies it associated with a stronger middle class, including measures concerning labor, health care, urban policy, and social protections. The organization published legislative scorecards assessing members of Congress and the New York Legislature according to votes on issues that DMI considered relevant to middle-class living standards. These scorecards were intended to make legislative behavior more accessible to voters and advocacy groups. A notable program was the Civil Justice Fellowship, originally known as the Milberg Weiss Fellowship because it was funded by the plaintiffs' law firm Milberg Weiss. The program supported work opposing tort reform. DMI also organized the “Marketplace of Ideas,” a progressive public-policy discussion series that began in 2002. The series featured public officials and other speakers discussing policies they had helped implement. Guests and event participants associated with DMI included Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Howard Dean, and Eliot Spitzer. The institute also participated in issue campaigns and collaborative research. It supported New York City's mandatory paid sick-leave law. In 2008, it worked with The Nation magazine on a project that interviewed mayors around the United States about urban policy, with the aim of giving city issues a more prominent place in the national presidential campaign. Its funding base reportedly included labor unions, health-care companies, and real-estate groups, reflecting a mixture of labor, advocacy, and institutional supporters. DMI had several prominent leaders. Fernando Ferrer, the former Bronx borough president, served as director from 2002 to 2004 and left at the end of 2004 to run for mayor of New York City. Andrea Batista Schlesinger served as executive director from 2004 through 2010, after which P.J. Kim was named executive director. The institute is now defunct, and its former website is not treated here as evidence of continuing operations. Its historical significance lies in its attempt to connect the civil-rights legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with contemporary progressive policy advocacy, electoral accountability, and community-oriented public discussion.

The Drum Major Institute began in 1961 as the Drum Major Foundation, during the American Civil Rights Movement. It was founded by Harry H. Wachtel, a New York lawyer who advised Martin Luther King Jr. The name referred to King's discussion of the “drum major instinct,” a phrase he used to describe the human desire to lead and be recognized. In a 1968 sermon, King argued that such an impulse could be directed toward justice, peace, and righteousness rather than vanity or status. The foundation became largely inactive after King's assassination in April 1968. In 1999, Martin Luther King III, William Wachtel, and Andrew Young helped revive the organization. The relaunched institute combined the civil-rights associations of its founding with a contemporary progressive policy agenda. It was headquartered in New York City and described its mission as developing practical solutions intended to advance social progress for Americans. During the 2000s, DMI concentrated on immigration, opposition to tort-reform measures, and policies it believed strengthened the middle class. Its legislative scorecards evaluated voting records in Congress and the New York Legislature. The institute also created the Civil Justice Fellowship, initially called the Milberg Weiss Fellowship because of its funding source, to support opposition to tort reform. DMI's policy work was accompanied by public education and advocacy rather than commercial products. Beginning in 2002, the institute hosted the Marketplace of Ideas, a progressive speaker and discussion series. The format highlighted public officials and policy practitioners discussing initiatives associated with them. Speakers and guests included Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Howard Dean, and Eliot Spitzer. DMI also supported New York City's mandatory paid sick-leave law. Leadership changed during the institute's later period. Fernando Ferrer served as director from 2002 to 2004 before departing to run for mayor of New York City. Andrea Batista Schlesinger was executive director from 2004 through 2010, and P. J. Kim was appointed to that position in 2010. The organization reportedly received support from labor unions, health-care companies, and real-estate groups. In 2008, DMI collaborated with The Nation on interviews with mayors concerning urban problems and policy, seeking to elevate urban affairs in the national presidential debate. The institute subsequently became defunct.

• 2010

  P. J. Kim appointed executive director

  [1]Drum Major Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  Kim succeeded Andrea Batista Schlesinger in the institute's top operating role.

• 2008

  Urban-policy project launched with The Nation

  [1]Drum Major Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  The organizations interviewed mayors about urban issues during the presidential-election cycle.

• 2002

  Marketplace of Ideas begins

  [1]Drum Major Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  DMI began hosting a progressive public-policy discussion series.

• 1999

  Institute relaunched

  [1]Drum Major Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  Martin Luther King III, William Wachtel, and Andrew Young revived the organization.

• 1968

  Original organization becomes largely inactive

  [1]Drum Major Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  The foundation declined into near inactivity after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.

• 1961

  Drum Major Foundation founded

  [1]Drum Major Instituteen.wikipedia.org

  Harry H. Wachtel founded the organization during the civil-rights era.

A progressive, civil-rights-rooted policy institute focused on practical social-policy proposals, middle-class economic issues, access to civil justice, immigration, urban affairs, and civic accountability.

• Policy fellowship

  Civil Justice Fellowship

  A fellowship program supporting policy work against tort-reform proposals. It was initially known as the Milberg Weiss Fellowship because the plaintiffs' law firm Milberg Weiss provided its funding.

• Research and advocacy publication

  Legislative scorecards

  DMI produced scorecards for the United States Congress and the New York Legislature, grading elected officials on votes related to the institute's policy priorities and its concept of a middle-class standard of living.

• Public-policy event series · 2002

  Marketplace of Ideas

  A progressive speaker series begun in 2002. Events presented policies through discussions with public officials and others involved in creating or implementing them.

• 2008Urban Issues and Mayors Project

  United States

  In partnership with The Nation, DMI interviewed mayors around the country about urban challenges and policies, aiming to bring urban concerns into the 2008 presidential campaign.

  Source
• Paid sick-leave advocacy

  New York City

  DMI supported New York City's mandatory paid sick-leave law as part of its advocacy for worker protections and middle-class economic security.

  Source

• 2002

  Launch of Marketplace of IdeasOther

  Background

  DMI sought to connect progressive policy analysis with public discussion and the experience of officials implementing policy.

  Action taken

  The institute began a recurring speaker and discussion series featuring progressive public-policy figures.

  Aftermath

  The series became one of the institute's identifiable public-facing programs.

  Source

• 1999

  Relaunch as a contemporary progressive policy instituteStrategy

  Background

  The original civil-rights-era foundation had become largely inactive after 1968.

  Action taken

  Martin Luther King III, William Wachtel, and Andrew Young revived the organization under the Drum Major Institute name.

  Aftermath

  The organization resumed work in policy research, civic advocacy, public events, and legislative accountability.

  Source

1. 1Drum Major Instituteen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Drum Major Institute official websitedrummajorinst.org