Abraham Lefkowitz

{{Short description|American labor union leader and teacher}} thumb|right|Lefkowitz {{circa}} 1926 '''Abraham Lefkowitz''' (October 17, 1884 in Revish, Hungary – November 7, 1956 in New York City, U.S.) was a co-founder of the American Federation of Teachers, of the New York City Teachers Union in 1916 and the New York City Teachers Guild, which broke off from the Teachers Union in 1935. For both the Teachers Union and Teachers Guild, he served as legislative representative to relevant New York city and state government bodies.<ref name="Ohles">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PBj5-zHEMvoC&pg=PA201 |title=Biographical dictionary of modern American educators |last=Ohles |first=Frederik |date=1997 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=0585391343 |location=Westport, Conn. |pages=201–202 |oclc=49569785 |access-date=2020-09-19 |archive-date=2024-04-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240428013441/https://books.google.com/books?id=PBj5-zHEMvoC&pg=PA201 |url-status=live }}</ref> <ref name=Reuther-bio>{{cite web | title = Abraham Lefkowitz | publisher = Wayne State University | url = https://reuther.wayne.edu/node/3475 | date = | access-date = 30 September 2018 | archive-date = 4 July 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180704195820/http://reuther.wayne.edu/node/3475 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=SNAC>{{cite web | title = United Federation of Teachers | publisher = Social Networks and Archival Context (SNAC) | url = http://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w6kd5rxb | date = | access-date = 30 September 2018 | archive-date = 30 September 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180930193212/http://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w6kd5rxb | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=Kheel-TU>{{cite web | title = Teachers Union of the City of New York Records, 1920-1942 | publisher = Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library | url = https://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/KCL05445.html | date = | access-date = 30 September 2018 | archive-date = 5 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180605165326/http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/KCL05445.html | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=Kheel-TG>{{cite web | title = AFT Local 2 Records, 1918-1957 | publisher = Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library | url = https://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/KCL05279.html | date = | access-date = 30 September 2018 | archive-date = 9 June 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180609231723/http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/KCL05279.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

Lefkowitz studied at City College of New York (Bachelor of Arts, 1904) and New York University (Master of Arts, 1907 and Ph.D., 1914).<ref name="Ohles" /> He taught in the New York City public school system starting in 1903, including at DeWitt Clinton High School and the High School of Commerce.<ref name="Ohles" /> He also served as the principal of Samuel J. Tilden High School from 1938 to 1955.<ref name="Ohles" /> When he taught at DeWitt Clinton High School, he served as a mentor to future congressman Vito Marcantonio, who he remembered as an eager and excellent student, “always discussing world affairs, politics, and labor conditions.” <ref name="Meyers">{{Cite book |title=Vito Marcantonio: Radical Politician 1902-1954 |last=Meyer |first=Gerald |date=1989 |publisher=State University of New York Press |isbn=0791400824 |location=Albany, New York |pages=9-10}}</ref>

==See also==

* New York City Teachers Union * New York City Teachers Guild * American Federation of Teachers * Henry Linville * Charles J. Hendley

==References==

{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Lefkowitz, Abraham}} Category:1884 births Category:1956 deaths Category:Emigrants from Austria-Hungary to the United States Category:Trade unionists from New York (state) Category:Socialist Party of America politicians from New York (state) Category:20th-century American educators Category:City College of New York alumni Category:New York University alumni Category:American Federation of Teachers people