40 Facts About Jacob Blaustein

Jacob Blaustein was an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and diplomat who founded the American Oil Company with his father Louis Blaustein.

Jacob Blaustein was born on September 30,1892, in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Louis and Henrietta Blaustein.

Jacob Blaustein attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and took mechanical drawing classes at the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Jacob Blaustein briefly attended Lehigh University to study chemistry but left school to help his father in business.

Jacob Blaustein remained in his leadership role as president and board chairman of AMOCO until his death in 1970, when he was succeeded in the role by his son Dr Morton Jacob Blaustein.

In 1931, Jacob Blaustein established the American Trading And Production Corporation which was formed to consolidate and diversify the family's business activities and investments.

Jacob Blaustein played a central role in the revitalization of downtown Baltimore through the development of the Jacob Blaustein Building in the 1960s.

Jacob Blaustein was a key member of the National Petroleum Council which served as a trusted advisor to the federal government on petroleum and gas matters of international significance during the war.

Jacob Blaustein led the American Jewish Committee's Delegation to the Paris Peace Conference where he advocated for the strengthening of human rights clauses in the treaties and the inclusion of guarantees to aid victims of persecution through reparations.

Jacob Blaustein served as Senior Vice President of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany which was opened in New York City in order to help with individual claims.

In 1956, Jacob Blaustein testified regarding the organization's progress to the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations.

In 1960, Jacob Blaustein negotiated with the manufacturers of Krupp armaments to award compensatory damages for each slave laborer employed in their factories during the war.

Jacob Blaustein was an influential leader within the United Nations from its inception through the rest of his life.

In March 1945, just one month before his death, President Franklin D Roosevelt met with Blaustein and appointed him to represent the United States as a consultant delegate at the founding meetings and San Francisco Conference of the United Nations in San Francisco.

Jacob Blaustein was an active advocate for the civil and religious rights of Jewish Americans and promoted tolerance among religious groups.

Jacob Blaustein participated in a number of peacekeeping missions and negotiations on behalf of the United States government.

Jacob Blaustein was an astute and trusted dealmaker and undertook diplomatic missions to Germany, Israel, North Africa, Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Poland, and South America on behalf of the United States.

Jacob Blaustein served as a conduit between Hammarskjold and Israel during Egypt's blockade of Israeli passage through the Suez Canal in the 1950s.

Jacob Blaustein was an active early board member of the United Nations Association of the United States of America and worked closely with Eleanor Roosevelt, earning her praise in a 1958 My Day column.

Jacob Blaustein long advocated for the creation of the position of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a role that was created by the United Nations in 1993, over 23 years after his death and 30 years after he publicly called for the position in a December 1963 speech.

Jacob Blaustein was active in the creation of the nation of Israel, the 1947 partition of Palestine through the United Nations, and for American recognition of the new state.

Jacob Blaustein served as president of the American Jewish Committee from 1949 to 1954.

Jacob Blaustein commissioned social science research into the causes of and solutions to address prejudice in the United States, and forged alliances with other associations including the United Negro College Fund, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Catholic Association for International Peace, and the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

Jacob Blaustein played an influential role in Israel's admission to the United Nations, US Export-Import Bank loans to Israel, and economic grants-in-aid for Israel from the United States.

President Truman appointed Jacob Blaustein to serve on his National Advisory Board on Mobilization Policy during the Korean War, which met in the Cabinet Room of the White House.

President Truman became a close personal friend of Jacob Blaustein, often asking him to report directly to him after his foreign trips and advise him on international and domestic issues.

Jacob Blaustein continued in the role during the Kennedy Administration and Johnson Administration.

Jacob Blaustein was a representative to the July 1963 White House Conference on Community Development.

Johnson appointed Jacob Blaustein to serve as a member of the President's Commission on Marine Science, Engineering and Resources, and as a trustee of the Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Foundation in 1964.

Jacob Blaustein enjoyed listening to classical music and was a noted collector of a variety of paintings by Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Andre Derain, Camille Pissarro, and Maurice Utrillo.

Jacob Blaustein was an active member and donor to the Democratic Party but maintained close working relationships with US leaders from both parties.

Jacob Blaustein served as a board member of a number of organizations including the Dag Hammarskjold Foundation, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Weizmann Institute of Science, Atlantic Council, the Signet Banking Corporation, and the Associated Jewish Charities and Welfare Fund.

Jacob Blaustein died on November 15,1970, at the age of 78 at his home in Baltimore, Maryland.

Jacob Blaustein was a recipient of numerous awards and honors, both during his life and posthumously.

In 1951, Jacob Blaustein received the Richard Gottheil Medal from the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity and was a Knight of Malta.

Jacob Blaustein was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Lehigh University in 1956 and received additional honorary degrees from Wilberforce University and Morgan State College.

On September 15,1968, Jacob Blaustein was on the cover of Forbes Magazine with a featured article about him.

Jacob Blaustein was a recipient of honors and awards from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, University of Maryland, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and New York Board of Rabbis.

In 1999, Jacob Blaustein was named a "Marylander of the Century" by the Baltimore Sun.

Artworks owned by Jacob Blaustein are now on display in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution, Walters Art Museum, and Baltimore Museum of Art.