|
Louis Dembitz Brandeis (November 13, 1856 - October 5, 1941) was an American litigator, Supreme Court Justice, advocate of privacy, and developer of the Brandeis Brief. In addition, he helped lead the American Zionist movement. Justice Brandeis was appointed by Woodrow Wilson to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1916 (sworn-in on June 5), and served until 1939. Many were surprised that Wilson, the son of a Christian minister, would appoint to the highest court in the land the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice in United States history. Besides his educational record, Brandeis had for some years been a contributor to the progressive wing of the United States Democratic Party, and had published a noted book in support of competition rather than monopoly in business. And President Wilson, who believed deeply that government must be a moral force for good, responded to similar sentiments in the thought and writings of Brandeis. Brandeis University, a private university founded in 1948 and located in Waltham, Massachusetts, was named after him. The University of Louisville's law school, where Brandeis is buried, is named for him (the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law), and his papers are archived in the school's library. In 2006, Louisville celebrated the 150th anniversary of Brandeis's birth. In celebration, a three-story tall canvas portrait of Brandeis adorns an office building on Liberty Street in Louisville. He was the brother-in-law of Charles Nagel, the last United States Secretary of Commerce and Labor.
|
