Harry Lashkowitz Family Photograph Collection

Collection

Identifier: Photo 2048-Photo Folio 25.9-Oversize Photo Coll. 1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Harry Lashkowitz Family Photograph Collection is a rich collection of family related images documenting not only Harry and Etta Lashkowitz’s immediate family born and raised in Fargo, N.D., but also extended family including Levitz, Ashe and Lashkowitz, Jewish related organizations, and business associates. It includes not only professional studio photographs but a wealth of informal snapshots of family and friends at their home, lake home, trips and their sons Herschel and Shelley in the U.S. Army. The Harry Lashkowitz photographs were accessioned as part of two separate donations of his papers, which have been processed as Manuscript 161 and Manuscript 223. Complimenting this photograph collection are two separate collections of son Herschel, which have been processed as Photo 2049 and Photo 2107. This collection contains over 1,700 photographs ranging from oversize formal portraits to informal snapshots taken by members of the family. There is also an extensive collection of original negatives which have been noted on the corresponding print, if found in the collection. The collection has been organized into seven series: Lashkowitz Family, Levitz Family, Lashkowitz Relatives, People & Buildings, Jane Lashkowitz Photograph Collection, Unidentified, and Negatives. The Lashkowitz Family Series includes separate files for each of the four Lashkowitz children, Herschel, Jane, Lorraine and Shelley covering their lives from infancy to adulthood. There are also many snapshots featuring family groups, family gatherings, and trips, as well as files for Harry and Etta from young adults to retirement. In the oversized folder are five photographs of the B'nai B'rith conventions of 1921, 1930, 1931, 1935 and 1938 which the Lashkowitz family attended. There are a number of snapshots of their 1960 trip to Israel and trips to Florida. Many of the family photographs are taken at the Levitz' lake cottage in Minnesota. The Levitz Family Series features Etta's parents, the Levitz sisters and family photos of Delia's and Rose's family, and the Siegel cousins. The Lashkowitz Relatives Series includes Harry's brother, Ralph and sister Rose, as well as snapshots of Irwin Ashe, Milton Ashe and Jim & Joyce Ashe. There is also a portrait of Harry’s mother Bessie, taken in retirement. The People and Buildings Series includes snapshots of the Lashkowitz home at 1202 8th St. S., in Fargo, a greeting card, various buildings including interior of Straus store in Fargo, and people (Louis Ashkanaze, Sheldon Jacobs, Tom Ash, Randy & Marcia, Robbie, J. Toussaint, Henry A. Wallace and Sioux Indian Eagle staff). The Jane Lashkowitz Photograph Collection is an extensive snapshot collection taken by Jane covering various years from 1941 to 1960 at Fargo, Florida, Mississippi, Washington D.C. and Lake Melissa. Also included are professional portraits of George Malone, Stan Musial and an opera singer in Chicago in 1926. In the Unidentified Series there are a number of professional photographs that span from the early 1900s into the 1930s of family groups and individuals (graduation photographs) as well as snapshots of people and places. Five of the photographs in this series are tintypes from the early 1900s. The Negative Series includes numerous images taken by family members from the 1930s to the 1940s, with possibly some going into the 1960s. They have been organized by negative size. The negative number has been recorded on the corresponding print if found in the collection. Prints found with the negatives have been organized together in the Family Groups Subseries.

Dates

1900s-1970s

Creator

Lashkowitz, Harry, 1889-1963. (Person)

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection remain with the original creator or the Institute.

Biography

Harry Lashkowitz was born in the city of Kamentz-Podolsk in southern Ukraine in May 1889, the son of Isadore and Bessie (Tullman) Lashkowitz. The family immigrated to the United States in 1896. Harry's father settled in New York City on the east side and established a butcher shop. In 1905 Isadore moved his family to Fargo, N.D. and continued as a butcher. Harry attended public school in New York City and later returned to New York from Fargo to attend the City College of New York. In 1905 he advanced from the Academy to the Collegiate Department and received a B.A. of Law from New York University Brooklyn School of Law in 1912. While attending college Harry worked at the university settlement house, which he later claimed had a great affect on his life. Harry returned to Fargo in 1912 and worked under Judge A.T. Cole until he passed the North Dakota Bar Examination and began a private practice. He taught commercial law at the North Dakota Agricultural College from 1916 to 1917. As Harry's law practice grew he hired an associate, Leland J. Smith, in 1925 and they practiced together as Lashkowitz and Smith until 1939. In his law practice, Harry represented many people in the community in a variety of legal matters. An early Progressive Republican and Nonpartisan League supporter and later a Roosevelt Democrat he was very involved in local and national politics. He ran for States Attorney in Cass County in 1918 (primary), 1926, and 1932, failing to win in all three races. He failed to win in 1930 the race for North Dakota Attorney General. He was appointed First Assistant United States Attorney under P.W. Lanier for District 1, State of North Dakota by President Franklin Roosevelt on September 1, 1933, a position he held until he resigned on October 1, 1953. Harry's final attempt at elected office took place in 1962 when he ran unsuccessfully for the judgeship of the First Judicial District. The highlight of Harry's political involvement was the seconding speech he made for Roosevelt at the 1936 Democratic convention. Harry was also deeply involved in local, national, and international Jewish matters. Locally, he was a member of the Fargo Hebrew Congregation and later the Temple Beth El. He was a member of Fargo's John Hay Lodge #634, and served as vice-president of the District Grand Lodge no. 6 of B'nai B'rith. In the Grand Lodge he served on the executive committee and in 1931 was elected president. Harry corresponded with many national leaders of B'nai B'rith and the Anti-Defamation League of the B'nai B'rith while serving on various committees. Some of the committees he served on were the Committee of Jewish Settlement in America, Allied Jewish Campaign (Chairman), Widerscope Committee, Jewish Relief Society (secretary), and on the advisory committee for the Jewish Book Club. He was also involved with the Denver Jewish Hospital, Cleveland Orphans Home, Zionist Drives, and the Jewish Agricultural Society in legal and administrative matters. During the Jewish Tercentenary in the United States he served as chairman of the Fargo Committee. Harry authored articles about Jewish settlement in North Dakota and contributed an article about Jews in North Dakota to the Jewish Encyclopedia. Harry also was a founder of the North Dakota Public Relations Committee, co-chairman on the Conference of Christians and Jews, a member of the American Civil Liberties Union and a member of the National Council on Civil Rights. Harry was involved in local organizations. As a member of the Elks Lodge #250 he served as Exalted Ruler in 1930, Special Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler under Sam Stern from 1952 to 1953, and chairman of the North Dakota Elks Association American Committee. He was also a 32nd Degree Mason and a Shriner. In 1934 Harry was president of the Fargo Central High School PTA. Harry married Etta Levitz on June 17, 1917. Etta was born at Devils Lake, N.D. on August 3, 1893. She was the daughter of Mandel and Bessie Levitz, two early settlers in Ramsey County. Fire destroyed the Levitz farmstead and Etta moved with her parents to St. Paul, and Sauk Center, Minn. before moving to Fargo in 1894. Harry and Etta had four children, Herschel I. (b. Apr. 2, 1918), Jane Deborah (b. Jan. 22, 1920), Lorraine Rhea (b. 1926), and Shelley James (b. 1928). Harry died on June 28, 1963, Etta on August 22, 1971 and Jane on September 19, 1973. All are buried at Beth El Memorial Park in Fargo.