Nathan Straus: From Macy's Magnate to International Humanitarian - Book Launch

Talk Highlights:

• Hear how Nathan Straus, a Jewish-German immigrant, rose to became co-owner of the largest department stores in Manhattan (Macy's) and Brooklyn (Abraham & Straus)
• Learn about Straus' greatest philanthropic endeavors, which saved the lives of countless thousands of infants in New York City
• Discover why Straus created America’s first tuberculosis preventorium for at-risk children
• Uncover the dynamic, emotionally volatile, and moody side of Strauss personality

About this Virtual Talk:

In the first comprehensive biography of Nathan Straus, co-owner of Macy's and Abraham & Straus, the largest department stores in Manhattan and Brooklyn, author Andrew Fisher recounts not only Straus’ spectacular rise from Jewish-German immigrant to business titan, but also his mission to improve public health in New York and around the world. 

Inspired by both his Jewish values and no-nonsense pragmatism, Straus designed, funded, and oversaw four progressive philanthropic initiatives. The greatest — his self-funded direct service and advocacy campaigns for milk pasteurization — saved the lives of countless thousands of infants in New York City and, ultimately, across much of America and western Europe. Straus also founded America’s first tuberculosis preventorium for at-risk children: a model for the 45 more that followed. In all, Straus’s humanitarianism won the acclaim of American presidents and world leaders and the gratitude of millions. His example speaks to us today.

About the Author:

Andrew Fisher, an independent scholar, is the retired founding executive director of the Lavelle Fund for the Blind. A New Jersey resident, he has 35 years of experience in New York City charitable foundations and is a winner of Helen Keller International’s Humanitarian Award. He is the author of Nathan Straus: From Macy's Magnate to International Humanitarian (Rutgers University Press).

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