Louis D. Brandeis By: Miles Butler

Vocation  Attended Harvard Law School from 1875 until 1877  He was a very successful and intelligent lawyer  Became an associate justice for the U.S. Supreme Court  Would also become the secretary of the Harvard Law School

Background  Born in Louisville, Kentucky  Graduated from Harvard Law School with the best academic record of any student up until that point.  Parents were Bohemian Jews  Would become an active and very influential follower of Zionism.  His uncle had a very strong effect on him and his religious beliefs. It was so strong that he would later change his middle name to his uncle’s name, Dembitz.  His parents and rest of family, especially his uncle, contributed to his life mainly by religious ideas.

Defining Moment  This came when Brandeis met and got to know his uncle, Lewis Naphtali Dembitz.  This was the defining moment in his life because Dembitz opened Brandeis’s eyes to the idea of Zionism.  This would influence the rest of Brandeis’s life because he would use his beliefs to make political decisions and as a basis for his ideas.

Contribution  He was the first Jew to ever become a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.  He would battle “bigness” in corporations.  He believed that centralizing corporations took away the ability for individuals to think for themselves and pave their own life.  He became an advocate for the government to regulate competition to prevent this centralization of corporations.  He also fought for an increase in the support of the Zionist cause.  He would actively work in World War I with the Zionist affairs and increase American interest in supporting the Zionist Movement.

Sources  Brinkley, Alan. American History A Survey (textbook)  ource/biography/Brandeis.html ource/biography/Brandeis.html  andeis andeis  bio.html bio.html  Google Images