Community & Society

6 published verified records

JWR Verified

Community & SocietyFirst

First Jewish Governor of a U.S. State

Record holder

Record value

4 January 1915

Moses Alexander became the "First Jewish Governor of a U.S. State" on 4 January 1915 when he took office as the 11th governor of Idaho. The German-born American businessman and public official served his term from the state capital, Boise, from 1915 to 1919. An official chronology from the Office of the Governor of Idaho confirms his gubernatorial service began on this date.

Country represented: United States
Achievement location: Boise, Idaho, United States
Achievement date: 4 January 1915

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Community & SocietyFirst

First Jewish Justice of the United States Supreme Court

Record holder

Louis D. Brandeis

Record value

June 5, 1916

Louis D. Brandeis took the judicial oath on 5 June 1916 and became the first Jewish Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The appointment, made in Washington, D.C., followed a lengthy confirmation process. This achievement marks the earliest instance of a person recognized as Jewish serving on the highest court in the United States. His service as an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court continued from his appointment in 1916 until 1939.

Country represented: United States
Achievement location: Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., United States
Achievement date: 5 June 1916

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Community & SocietyFirst

First Jewish Member of the United States Cabinet

Record holder

Oscar S. Straus

Record value

17 December 1906

On 17 December 1906, Oscar S. Straus entered office as United States Secretary of Commerce and Labor in President Theodore Roosevelt’s Cabinet. The Library of Congress identifies the appointment as the first time a Jew held a Cabinet position in the United States, while official Commerce records place his service from 17 December 1906 through 5 March 1909. The record is defined by the date Straus actually began Cabinet service, not by the earlier announcement of his nomination. His appointment joined a career in law, diplomacy, public administration and international arbitration. It also marked a visible national milestone for Jewish participation in the highest level of the federal executive branch. JWR found no earlier Jewish head of a Cabinet-rank executive department. Archival footage of Straus is retained only as holder context because no direct moving image of the 1906 appointment or oath was located.

Country represented: United States
Achievement location: Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., United States
Achievement date: 17 December 1906

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Community & SocietyFirst

First Jewish Senator in the United States Senate

Record holder

David Levy Yulee

Record value

1 July 1845

David Levy Yulee achieved the record for "First Jewish Senator in the United States Senate" on "1 July 1845" in Washington, D.C., when his first term of service began. This achievement is based on official United States Senate records, which not only place Yulee's oath and credentials presentation in the 1845 session but also explicitly identify him as the first Jewish senator. The measurement method for the record combines the official Senate chronology with the Senate's own historical identification of Yulee as the first person of Jewish background to serve in the chamber.

Country represented: United States
Achievement location: Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., United States
Achievement date: 1 July 1845

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Community & SocietyFirst

First Jewish Woman Elected to the United States Congress

Record holder

Florence Prag Kahn

Record value

17 February 1925

Florence Prag Kahn holds the record as the First Jewish Woman Elected to the United States Congress. The achievement occurred on 17 February 1925, when she won a special election in San Francisco, California, to secure a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The election was held to fill the congressional vacancy left by her late husband, Julius Kahn. This chronological first is explicitly confirmed by the U.S. House of Representatives' History, Art & Archives office, which identifies Kahn as the first Jewish woman elected to Congress.

Country represented: United States
Achievement location: San Francisco, California, United States
Achievement date: 17 February 1925

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Community & SocietyFirst

First Jewish Woman in the United States Senate

Record holder

Dianne Feinstein

Record value

10 November 1992

Dianne Feinstein became the 'First Jewish Woman in the United States Senate' on '10 November 1992'. This achievement occurred in Washington, D.C., when she took the oath of office after winning California's 1992 special election. The date marks the beginning of her service in the U.S. Senate, where she represented California from 1992 until her death in 2023. This record is defined as being held by the earliest Jewish woman to take the oath and serve as a member of the United States Senate.

Country represented: United States
Achievement location: Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., United States
Achievement date: 10 November 1992

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