Edward Jacobson

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Edward Jacobson (Born 17 June 1891, New York City - Died 25 October 1955, Kansas City, Missouri) was an American-Jewish businessman. He was also a U.S. Army associate, business partner, and close friend of President Harry S. Truman.

When Jacobson first heard about what was happening to the Jews in Germany, before and during World War II, he took to discussing it with Truman. After he heard the post-war reports regarding the Nazi Holocaust and its survivors, his talks with Truman about how to help the Jewish people became more intense. Since Jewish leaders in the U.S. knew Jacobson was a friend of the President's, they approached him to lobby to Truman with even more fervor. Jacobson went to the White House on March 13, 1948, and at that meeting persuaded Truman to meet with the leader of the Zionist movement, Dr. Chaim Weizmann. Partly as a result of Jacobson's efforts, the United States became the first nation to grant diplomatic recognition to the new state of Israel on May 14, 1948.

[edit] Timeline

1893: Moved with his family to Leavenworth, Kansas
1905: Moved with his family to Kansas City, Missouri
19-teens: Worked as a clerk in a Kansas City clothing store
1917-1919: Served as enlisted man in the 129^th Field Artillery, 60^th Brigade, 35^th Division, U.S. Army
1919-1922: Partnered with Harry S. Truman in the Truman & Jacobson haberdashery, 104 West 12^th St., Kansas City, Missouri
1922-1945: Traveling salesman in the clothing business
1945-1955: Proprietor, Eddie Jacobson's Westport Menswear, Kansas City, Missouri
1947-1948: Urged President Truman to support the creation of a Jewish homeland in the British Mandate of Palestine - now Israel.