Edith Rosenwald Stern
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Edith Rosenwald Stern (1895–1980) was an American philanthropist and champion of educational causes in
New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
, United States. She was instrumental in formation of the Stern Family Fund and was recognized as being willing to support causes for which she had conviction even if the causes were controversial at the time. Examples of her philanthropy included supporting
voter registration In electoral systems, voter registration (or enrollment) is the requirement that a person otherwise Suffrage, eligible to Voting, vote must register (or enroll) on an electoral roll, which is usually a prerequisite for being entitled or permitted ...
of
African-Americans African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
in the
American South The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is census regions United States Census Bureau. It is between the Atlantic Ocean and the ...
, the anti-nuclear movement, public-interest law firms, organizing union and tenant groups, and initiation of challenges by shareholders who wanted corporations to become more socially responsible. Additionally, as political causes, Stern stood for anti-corruption, political fairness at the voting polls, and higher education for African-Americans. She was a
patron of the arts Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...
including for the New Orleans Philharmonic Orchestra and for promising young artists, especially musicians.


Personal life


Early life and education

Stern was born Edith Rosenwald in
Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, on May 31, 1895, as the third of five children of parents
Julius Rosenwald Julius Rosenwald (August 12, 1862 – January 6, 1932) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He is best known as a part-owner and leader of Sears, Roebuck and Company, and for establishing the Rosenwald Fund, which donated millions i ...
and Augusta Nusbaum Rosenwald. Her family was wealthy, Julius Rosenwald being part-owner and president of the
Sears, Roebuck and Company Sears, Roebuck and Co., commonly known as Sears ( ), is an American chain of department stores and online retailer founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosen ...
. She grew up with her family in the affluent Kenwood neighborhood of Chicago. As a child, she was known to her family and close friends as Ede. Starting in early childhood, Stern's parents instilled in her a strong sense of charity, commitment to the social and economic well-being of society, and
noblesse oblige ''Noblesse oblige'' (; literally "nobility obliges") is a French expression that means that nobility extends beyond mere entitlement, requiring people who hold such status to fulfill social responsibilities; the term retains the same meaning ...
. Through childhood, her family annually visited
Tuskegee, Alabama Tuskegee ( ) is a city in Macon County, Alabama, Macon County, Alabama, United States. General Thomas Simpson Woodward, a Creek War veteran under Andrew Jackson, laid out the city and founded it in 1833. It became the county seat in the same y ...
, because her father had admiration for Tuskegee resident and scholar
Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, and orator. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the primary leader in the African-American community and of the contemporary Black elite#United S ...
, who was a prominent African-American. The Rosenwald family and Washington frequently visited each other's homes, and Julius Rosenwald was a benefactor of Washington and the Tuskegee Institute. Stern's early education was at the Chicago University Elementary School. Subsequently, through coercion by her parents, Stern as a teenager attended a
finishing school A finishing school focuses on teaching young women social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society. The name reflects the fact that it follows ordinary school and is intended to complete a young woman's ...
in
Dresden, Germany Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...
, where she completed her education. At age 18, Stern married Germon F. Sulzberger, whom she met through a mutual friend. The couple made their home in New York City. They separated a year later and divorced in May 1921. She was known as Edith Sulzberger during the time that they were married and until her second marriage. Stern met her future husband Edgar B. Stern through a mutual friend. During their courtship, the couple visited Longue Vue, an old inn that overlooked the
Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...
. This inn became the inspiration for two of her future homes in New Orleans, Louisiana. The couple was married on June 29, 1921, aboard an
Illinois Central Railroad The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the Central United States. Its primary routes connected Chicago, Illinois, with New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama, and thus, ...
passenger car while the train was in
Hammond, Indiana Hammond ( ) is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. Located along Lake Michigan, it is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the only city in Indiana to border Chicago. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the Li ...
. These circumstances were so as to avoid the one year grace period after divorce that was required by the state of Illinois at the time.


Personal life in New Orleans

By the time of Stern's 1921 marriage, husband Edgar B. Stern was an established businessman in New Orleans. Stern became a New Orleans resident shortly after the marriage, and she quickly embraced life in New Orleans, immersing herself in various civic activities in addition to managing family life. So complete was her immersion in New Orleans life that her husband Edgar gave her the pet name "Yankee Creole". The couple had three children, and they were active in their communities, like their parents, with respect to charitable, business, and artistic causes. Edgar B. Stern Jr. (1922–2008) was chairman of the Royal Street Corporation and completed extensive developments in the states of Colorado and Louisiana. He also served as a public relations director for
United Way United Way is an international network of over 1,800 local nonprofit organization, nonprofit fundraising affiliates. Prior to 2015, United Way was the largest nonprofit organization in the United States by donations from the public. Individual Un ...
. Audrey Stern Hess (died 1974, age 50) was their middle child. She was chairman of the children's rights section of the Citizens Committee for Children. Their son Philip M. Stern (died 1992 at age 66) was a writer and a Democratic Party activist. In 1929, following a period of intense activity sponsoring educational causes, at a time coincident with the start of the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
, Stern became ill and was admitted to the Riggs Sanitarium in
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
, where she was diagnosed with
ulcers An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected organ. According to Robbins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughing ...
and
exhaustion Exhaust, exhaustive, or exhaustion may refer to: Law *Exhaustion of intellectual property rights, limits to intellectual property rights in patent and copyright law **Exhaustion doctrine, in patent law ** Exhaustion doctrine under U.S. law, in ...
. Following her recovery, in 1930, Stern and her husband Edgar, together with Stern's sister Adele Levy, acquired as a summer home the compound known as
White Pine Camp White Pine Camp is an Adirondack Great Camp on Osgood Pond in Paul Smiths, New York. It served as the Summer White House for US President Calvin Coolidge from July 7 through September 18, 1926. The camp, built on for New York businessman Ar ...
, which had been the presidential retreat for
President Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929. A Republican lawyer from Massachusetts, he previously served as the 29th vice presiden ...
. This home was located on
Osgood Pond Osgood Pond is a five hundred acre lake in the hamlet of Paul Smiths, Town of Brighton, Franklin County, New York. It is the site of White Pine Camp, the Summer White House of President Calvin Coolidge, and of the historic Northbrook Lodge, ...
in the hamlet of
Paul Smiths, New York Paul Smiths is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Brighton in Franklin County, New York, United States. It is located on Lower Saint Regis Lake in the Adirondacks, northwest of Saranac Lake, located at 44°26' North 74° ...
and is an example of an Adirondack
great camp __NOTOC__ The Great Camps of the Adirondack Mountains are often grandiose family compounds of cabins that were built in the latter half of the nineteenth century on lakes in the Adirondacks. The camps were summer homes for the wealthy, sites ...
. The home was often referred to as the "New York White House" during the Coolidge Administration. It served as a respite from the summertime heat and humidity in New Orleans. The Sterns and Levys often used the compound for entertaining friends and relatives, and they owned the home after World War II ended. In a 1936 to 1937 visit to Europe and the
Holy Land The term "Holy Land" is used to collectively denote areas of the Southern Levant that hold great significance in the Abrahamic religions, primarily because of their association with people and events featured in the Bible. It is traditionall ...
s of
Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...
with her husband Edgar, Stern witnessed the tense political climate in Europe of the 1930s. The Sterns observed Europe's rising
antisemitism Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...
, especially during their visits to Germany, and also the actions of
Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili; 5 March 1953) was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin, his death in 1953. He held power as General Secret ...
during their time in Russia and the suffering of
Polish Jews The history of the Jews in Poland dates back at least 1,000 years. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jews, Jewish community in the world. Poland was a principal center of Jewish culture, because of the long pe ...
. They attended a session of the League of Nations Assembly and witnessed the coronation of
King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...
. The Sterns considered their travels to be a rich source of ideas and influences to bring to their hometown of New Orleans. It is also made them more politically aware and enhanced their commitment to educational causes. The Sterns hosted many visitors from Europe and elsewhere at their New Orleans home as a result of their travels. During World War II, Stern worked as a volunteer for the
American Red Cross The American National Red Cross is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Humanitarianism, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. Clara Barton founded ...
in New Orleans and in Washington, DC. This divided time was due to the fact that her husband Edgar was working for the
United States Department of War The United States Department of War, also called the War Department (and occasionally War Office in the early years), was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army, als ...
as a "dollar a year man". Her efforts on behalf of the American Red Cross included membership drives and sales of
war bonds War bonds (sometimes referred to as victory bonds, particularly in propaganda) are debt securities issued by a government to finance military operations and other expenditure in times of war without raising taxes to an unpopular level. They are ...
. Shortly after World War II, Stern became active in the
United Jewish Appeal The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), formerly the United Jewish Communities (UJC), is an American Jewish umbrella organization for the Jewish Federations system, representing over 350 independent Jewish communities across North Ameri ...
, following the lead of her sister Adele who was the first chair of the National Women's Division. Edith and Edgar Stern frequently attended the annual
Tanglewood Music Festival The Tanglewood Music Festival is a music festival held every summer on the Tanglewood estate in Stockbridge and Lenox in the Berkshire Hills in western Massachusetts. The festival consists of a series of concerts, including symphonic music, c ...
in western
Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
. For this reason, Edith established a second summer home near
Lenox, Massachusetts Lenox is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is in Western Massachusetts and part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Pittsfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,095 at the 2020 United States census ...
, purchasing a cottage home. She decorated this home entirely with furnishings selected from the
Sears catalog Sears, Roebuck and Co., commonly known as Sears ( ), is an American chain of department stores and online retailer founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwa ...
, and she referred to this cottage as "Austerity Castle". The Sterns frequently hosted visiting musicians at the cottage, and offered visits there as a
fringe benefit Employee benefits and benefits in kind (especially in British English), also called fringe benefits, perquisites, or perks, include various types of non-wage compensation provided to an employee by an employer in addition to their normal wage or ...
to servants on the Sterns' payroll.


Longue Vue House and Gardens

On moving to New Orleans, Stern and husband Edgar lived at Viara House, before establishing a permanent residence of their own. In 1921, the Sterns purchased eight acres of undeveloped land on the outskirts of New Orleans where they established sequentially two homes, both named Longue Vue. The name of the home came from an inn on the Hudson River that the couple enjoyed visiting early in their marriage. The following year, the Edith and Edgar Stern contracted construction of their first home on this property, which eventually became known as Longue Vue House I. This home was designed by architect Moise Goldstein in the
colonial revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the arch ...
style. In 1934, Edith Stern hired
landscape architect A landscape architect is a person who is educated in the field of landscape architecture. The practice of landscape architecture includes: site analysis, site inventory, site planning, land planning, planting design, grading, storm water manage ...
Ellen Biddle Shipman Ellen Biddle Shipman (; November 5, 1869 – March 27, 1950) was an American landscape architect known for her formal gardens and lush planting style. Along with Beatrix Farrand and Marian Cruger Coffin, she dictated the style of the time and s ...
to build an
English landscape garden The English landscape garden, also called English landscape park or simply the English garden (, , , , ), is a style of "landscape" garden which emerged in England in the early 18th century, and spread across Europe, replacing the more formal ...
on this property. Although Shipman completed this project shortly thereafter, Shipman continued development of the gardens until her death in 1950. Horticulturalist
Caroline Dormon Caroline "Carrie" Coroneos Dormon (July 19, 1888 – November 21, 1971) was an American naturalist, ethnographer, and writer in Louisiana. She was a pioneer conservationist and was involved in the establishment of the Kisatchie National Forest and ...
made significant contributions to the design and construction of the gardens, who likewise continued to improve the gardens for years following initial construction. In the late 1930s, Stern concluded that the home did not provide sufficient views of the gardens and that the property needed a new house that provided a cohesive design of both home and gardens. To this end, Stern commissioned architects William Platt and Geoffrey Platt. The construction extended until December 1942. The resulting home is in the Classical Greek Revival style, with each of the four facades being distinct. One of the facades, the one on the south, is suggestive of the Beauregard-Keyes House in the
French Quarter The French Quarter, also known as the (; ; ), is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. After New Orleans () was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city developed around the ("Old Square" in English), a ...
of New Orleans. The house and gardens, sometimes known as Longue Vue II, are considered examples of the
Country Place Era The Country Place Era was a period, from about 1890 to 1930, of American landscape architecture design during which wealthy Americans commissioned extensive gardens at their country estates, emulating European gardens that the Americans had seen in ...
. At the time of the construction of the second Longue Vue Gardens home, the original home was moved intact within the same neighborhood to another lot on Garden Lane. In 1977, Stern bequeathed Longue Vue House and Gardens to the city of New Orleans, as an extension of the New Orleans Museum of Art. This donation included funds sufficient to convert the home from a private residence into a museum. This act was controversial at the time and was several years in the making, the controversy being based on a zoning dispute with neighbors. Resolution of the dispute required moving the entrance from Garden Lane to Bamboo Road.


Later life and death

Due to failing health, in 1978, Stern made her home at the
Pontchartrain Hotel The Pontchartrain Hotel is a historic hotel on St. Charles Avenue in Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. History Albert Aschaffenburg Sr., a prominent New Orleans capitalist and real estate developer, planned to build the Pontchartr ...
in New Orleans. The hotel management converted rooms 503, 504, and 505 into a suite to accommodate Stern. Stern died at her home in 1980 of complications from
circulatory disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is any disease involving the heart or blood vessels. CVDs constitute a class of diseases that includes: coronary artery diseases (e.g. angina, heart attack), heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, rheumatic he ...
s. She is buried at Metairie Lakelawn Cemetery alongside her husband Edgar, her daughter Audrey and Audrey's husband. Replicas of the Times-Picayune Loving Cup awards that she and her husband each received are located at the foot of the grave site.


Philanthropy

As part of her
activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from mandate build ...
philanthropic tenets, Stern required that financial recipients have a personal vested interest in their philanthropic cause. This was a trait that she took on from her father Julius Rosenwald. She often used
challenge grant Challenge grants are funds disbursed by one party (the grant maker), usually a government agency, corporation, foundation or trust (sometimes anonymously), typically to a non-profit entity or educational institution (the grantee) upon completion ...
s to build support and extend financial backing for her causes and to help assure philanthropic objectives are satisfied.


Educational causes

Recognizing a need for
early childhood education Early childhood education (ECE), also known as nursery education, is a branch of Education sciences, education theory that relates to the teaching of children (formally and informally) from birth up to the age of eight. Traditionally, this is ...
, in 1926, Stern founded the Newcomb School for pre-schoolers on the edge of the
Tulane University The Tulane University of Louisiana (commonly referred to as Tulane University) is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by a cohort of medical doctors, it b ...
campus. Besides financial backing, Stern selected administrators and remained involved in the management of the school in its early years. At the time, pre-school education was uncommon in the United States, and the Newcomb School was the first of its kind in the
American South The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is census regions United States Census Bureau. It is between the Atlantic Ocean and the ...
. Later, in 1957, when the school needed a new building, Stern commissioned Professor John Dinwiddie, then
dean Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean * Dean Sw ...
of the Tulane University School of Architecture, to design the facility. The new building opened in 1959. Following her efforts on early childhood education, in 1929 Stern organized the founding of the
Metairie Park Country Day School Metairie Park Country Day School is a private, nondenominational, co-educational college preparatory school in Metairie, Louisiana, with classes in grades Pre-Kindergarten– 12. The campus is located in the Old Metairie section of Metair ...
, for children from
kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
through
high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
. Stern provided the initial funding to acquire 14 acres of land in
Metairie, Louisiana Metairie ( ) is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and is part of the New Orleans metropolitan area. With a population of 143,507 in 2020, Metairie is ...
, to be used for the
campus A campus traditionally refers to the land and buildings of a college or university. This will often include libraries, lecture halls, student centers and, for residential universities, residence halls and dining halls. By extension, a corp ...
. Stern remained involved in the organization of the school by setting up three committees, one to establish school policy, another to recruit a
headmaster A headmaster/headmistress, head teacher, head, school administrator, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. Role While s ...
, and the third to acquire full funding for the school, including a scholarship program. The first headmaster was Ralph Boothby who served as headmaster until 1956. As part of school policy that continued under Boothby's tenure, the school instituted methods aimed at providing children with an environment in which they learn while playing and exploring. School policy de-emphasized homework until the children were older.


Patron of the arts

As a young woman, singer
Marian Anderson Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897April 8, 1993) was an American contralto. She performed a wide range of music, from opera to spirituals. Anderson performed with renowned orchestras in major concert and recital venues throughout the United S ...
often visited New Orleans, usually singing at churches with African-American congregations. Stern became acquainted with Anderson through Stern's own cook. As a result, Stern befriended Anderson and introduced her as an entertainer within New Orleans society. Stern continued as one of Anderson's patrons through her performing career. Stern's support of the New Orleans Symphony began in earnest with a meeting in 1952 with newly installed general manager Thomas Greene. Besides her own financial gifts to the orchestra, Stern organized other fund-raising activities. An example was a fund-raiser featuring Parisian chef
Raymond Oliver Raymond Oliver (27 March 1909 – 5 November 1990) was a French chef and owner of Le Grand Véfour restaurant in Paris, one of France's great historical restaurants. Oliver detested '' nouvelle cuisine'', preferring the rich ingredients favored ...
of Le Grand Véfour Restaurant who showcased his culinary talents for prominent American chefs for donations benefiting the orchestra. In this event, Sears-Roebuck donated the equipment for food preparation. Stern was an early patron of African-American opera singer
Annabelle Bernard Annabelle Bernard (1934-2005) was an operatic soprano who performed with the Deutsche Oper Berlin for approximately 40 years. Upon being hired by the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1962, Bernard became the first black woman to be hired as a member of a ...
and of New Orleans impressionist artist William Woodward. After hearing Bernard perform at Xavier University in 1955, Stern arranged for Bernard to have an audition with opera producer
Boris Goldovsky Boris Goldovsky (Борис Анисимович Голдовский; June 7, 1908 - February 15, 2001) was a Russian-born conductor and broadcast commentator, active in the United States. He has been called an important "popularizer" of opera in ...
. The success of this audition launched Bernard's professional career. As a member of the board of trustees of the Delgado Museum in New Orleans, Stern worked with architect
Arthur Quentin Davis Curtis and Davis Architects and Engineers was an architectural and design firm in New Orleans, Louisiana USA. They designed more than 400 buildings in 30 states in the United States and nine countries worldwide. Curtis and Davis was dissolved upon ...
to donate the Stern-Davis collection to the museum, emphasizing the
Cusco School The Cusco school (''escuela cuzqueña'') or Cuzco school, was a Roman Catholic artistic tradition based in Cusco, Peru (the former capital of the Inca Empire) during the Colonial period, in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. It was not limited to ...
of art. Stern provided the initial funding to create the New Orleans Repertory Theatre.


Political involvement and civil rights

By 1945, concerned women voters in New Orleans organized to reduce the power and influence of established
political machines In the politics of representative democracies, a political machine is a party organization that recruits its members by the use of tangible incentives (such as money or political jobs) and that is characterized by a high degree of leadership c ...
in the city. Stern became part of this effort, and she worked on behalf of politician
Chep Morrison deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison Sr. (January 18, 1912 – May 22, 1964), was an American attorney and politician who was the 54th List of mayors of New Orleans, mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, from 1946 to 1961. He then served as an appointee ...
who was then a candidate for mayor and who promised to break such political machines. Stern organized the "Women's Broom Brigade", aimed at "a clean sweep" of New Orleans city government. As leader of the group, she organized a march of women carrying brooms across the city ultimately going to the Jerusalem Temple. The Morrison candidacy won the election, and Stern continued to work on behalf of reform of local government. Stern subsequently took on the issue of
voter fraud Electoral fraud, sometimes referred to as election manipulation, voter fraud, or vote rigging, involves illegal interference with the process of an election, either by increasing the vote share of a favored candidate, depressing the vote share o ...
and worked with the Voter Registration League, as well as the
League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan American nonprofit political organization. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include Voter registration, registering voters, providing voter information, boosting voter turnout and adv ...
, on this issue. She organized efforts to educate future voters in New Orleans, including bringing voting machines into local high schools to familiarize young people with the voting process. Mayor Morrison appointed her to the Parkway and Park Commission of the City of New Orleans. In 1952, as part of her efforts on the U.S. presidential campaign of
Adlai Stevenson Adlai Stevenson may refer to: * Adlai Stevenson I Adlai Ewing Stevenson (October 23, 1835 – June 14, 1914) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the 23rd vice president of the United States from 1893 to 1897 under President Gr ...
, Edith Stern hosted then-candidate Stevenson for several days at Longue Vue House during an extended campaign stop in Louisiana. During this campaign season, Stern also hosted
John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
at her home. At one point during this visit, Stern hosted a dinner party that included Stevenson, Kennedy, and entertainer
Ethel Merman Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann; January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American singer and actress. Known for her distinctive, powerful voice, and her leading roles in musical theatre, musical theater,Obituary ''Variety Obitua ...
, as well as other politically active New Orleanians. Considering the Republican-leaning of her husband Edgar and some of the guests, these events enabled interactions across party lines in this campaign stop. During these campaign events, the Sterns conceived of the idea of
Pontchartrain Park Pontchartrain Park is a historically registered New Orleans neighborhoods, neighborhood of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, New Orleans. A subdistrict of the Gentilly, New Orleans, Gentilly District Area, its boundaries as defined by the City ...
, a suburban-style middle-class neighborhood for African-Americans during the Jim Crow South, a project that the Sterns ultimately backed. Stern continued her involvement in Democratic Party politics at both the local level and national level. In 1960, she attended the
Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 18 ...
in
Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, in a private box to watch the nomination of John F. Kennedy. Following Kennedy's inauguration as President of the United States, he appointed Stern to the National Cultural Center Advisory Committee on the Arts. Locally, Stern directed the Stern Family Fund to support th
Institute of Politics
which is an organization at
Loyola University Loyola University is one of several Jesuit Universities named for St. Ignatius of Loyola. Loyola University may refer to: Democratic Republic of the Congo *Loyola University of Congo, Kinshasa, Congo Spain * Loyola University Andalusia, Sevilla ...
that helped prepare young politicians for their careers. For the 1970 New Orleans mayoral election, Stern supported the candidacy of
Moon Landrieu Moon Edwin Landrieu (born Maurice Edwin Landrieu; July 23, 1930 – September 5, 2022) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 56th mayor of New Orleans from 1970 to 1978. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented New Or ...
. Following his election victory, Landrieu was seen locally as being the first true liberal to hold the post, and he was the first New Orleans mayor to fully engage African-Americans in city government. As mayor, he continued to rely on Stern's advice and counsel through his terms of office. As a member of the board of directors of the Stern Family Fund, Edith Stern made frequent use of the fund to advance causes of African-American education, civil rights, civic responsibility, and corporate responsibility. Engagement in matters of corporate responsibility was controversial among the fund's board, and Stern's son resigned from the board in protest over this policy. The Sterns also directed significant aid to
historically black colleges Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the United States that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of serving African Americans. Most are in the Southern U ...
such as
Dillard University Dillard University is a private, historically black university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded in 1930 and incorporating earlier institutions founded as early as 1869 after the American Civil War, it is affiliated with the United Church of C ...
. Beginning in 1967, Stern established a fund to aid in the legal defense of
Clay Shaw Clay LaVergne Shaw (March 17, 1913 – August 15, 1974) was an American businessman, military officer, and part-time contact of the Domestic Contact Service (DCS) of the CIA. Shaw is best known for being the only person brought to trial for in ...
who was alleged to have conspired to assassinate John F. Kennedy. Although Stern was a strong supporter of President Kennedy, Stern was casually acquainted with Shaw through their mutual interest in French Quarter restoration projects. Following Shaw's acquittal of the legal charges, Stern commissioned Shaw to carry out restoration projects of homes that Stern owned, especially in the New Orleans French Quarter. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Stern led several significant fund-raising efforts in New Orleans to benefit the Women's Division of the United Jewish Appeal.


Opposition

Stern received near daily
hate mail Hate mail (as electronic, posted, or otherwise) is a form of harassment, usually consisting of invective and potentially intimidating or threatening comments towards the recipient. Hate mail often contains exceptionally abusive, foul or otherwi ...
as a result of her efforts on civil rights. Stern supported candidate
Adrian G. Duplantier Adrian Guy Duplantier Sr. (March 5, 1929 – August 15, 2007) was a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He served as a Democratic Party (United States ...
in the 1962 mayoral election in New Orleans. Duplantier's opponent Victor H. Schiro produced campaign literature depicting Duplantier as a political puppet of Stern.


Awards and recognition

* A 1945 portrait of Stern by artist Malthe M. Hasselriis is housed at the
Smithsonian American Art Museum The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM; formerly the National Museum of American Art) is a museum in Washington, D.C., part of the Smithsonian Institution. Together with its branch museum, the Renwick Gallery, SAAM holds one of the world's lar ...
. * The
New Orleans Times-Picayune ''The Times-Picayune , The New Orleans Advocate'' (commonly called ''The Times-Picayune'' or the ''T-P'') is an American newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ancestral publications of other names date back to January 25, 1837. The cu ...
newspaper presented its Loving Cup award to Stern in 1964 for her charitable, civic, and political work. Her husband Edgar B. Stern in 1930 had also received the same award, making them the only husband-wife couple so honored. * In 1968,
Life Magazine ''Life'' (stylized as ''LIFE'') is an American magazine launched in 1883 as a weekly publication. In 1972, it transitioned to publishing "special" issues before running as a monthly from 1978 to 2000. Since then, ''Life'' has irregularly publi ...
named Edith Stern one of the Grandes Dames' Who Grace America". * Stern received the
Hannah G. Solomon Hannah Greenebaum Solomon (; January 14, 1858 – December 7, 1942) was a social reformer and the founder of the National Council of Jewish Women, the first national association of Jewish women. Solomon was an important organizer who reached ac ...
Award in 1971 for the New Orleans Section of the
National Council of Jewish Women The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Founded in 1893, the NCJW describes itself as the oldest Jewish women's grassroots organization organization in the USA and currently has over 225,000 members. ...
. * In 1977, the
New Orleans States-Item ''The Times-Picayune , The New Orleans Advocate'' (commonly called ''The Times-Picayune'' or the ''T-P'') is an American newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ancestral publications of other names date back to January 25, 1837. The cu ...
newspaper named Edith Stern and Edgar Stern the city's outstanding philanthropists. *
Chaim Herzog Chaim Herzog (; 17 September 1918 – 17 April 1997) was an Israeli politician, military officer, lawyer and author who served as the president of Israel between 1983 and 1993. Born in Belfast and raised primarily in Dublin, the son of Ireland' ...
, Israel's ambassador to the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
, acting on behalf of the nation of Israel, planted a tree in Edith Stern's honor on the property of Longue Vue Gardens, on May 21, 1978. * In 1984,
Gerda Weissmann Klein Gerda Weissmann Klein (May 8, 1924 – April 3, 2022) was a Polish-born American writer and human rights activist. Her autobiographical account of the Holocaust, ''All But My Life'' (1957), was adapted for the 1995 short film '' One Survivor Re ...
published a biography of Edith Stern. * In 2018 the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper named Stern to its "300 for 300" list of people who have had lasting impact on the city of New Orleans.


Legacy

Stern's enduring legacy includes the Longue Vue House and Gardens, contributions to education through endowment of schools and their establishment, aid to music and the fine arts, and advances in voting rights and civil rights in the American South. She helped form the Stern Family Fund which provided seed money for social entrepreneurs.


References


External links and further reading

*''A Passion for Sharing: The Life of Edith Rosenwald Stern'', by Gerda Weissmann Klein. Chappaqua, N.Y.: Rossel, 1984.
Longue Vue House & GardensWikimedia Commons category
on Longue Vue House & Gardens {{DEFAULTSORT:Stern, Edith Rosenwald 1895 births 1980 deaths Rosenwald family Philanthropists from Louisiana Activists from Chicago People from Lenox, Massachusetts 20th-century American philanthropists 20th-century American Jews 20th-century American women philanthropists Jews from Illinois Jews from Louisiana