| | Abstract: | Albert "Al" Stern was born in 1927 in Toronto, Ohio, and grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia with his parents and two brothers. After serving in the Navy at the end of World War II, he attended Indiana University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He moved to Cleveland in 1951 and for several years worked as a sales agent in the door and window industry. He then started his own manufacturers' representative sales firm. Over the next 30 years, Al built A. Stern & Co. into a very successful agency. Al was very active in various peace and justice organizations, ranging from civil rights to integrated housing, anti-nuclear activities, and the anti-war movements. Al and his wife Merle (nicknamed Mickey) also helped found the secular Jewish Sunday School in Cleveland, which evolved into the Jewish Secular Community. Al had a deep emotional attachment to Israel and its survival. For over thirty years, Al was a passionate proponent of peace in the Middle East. He educated many in the local community and arranged for prominent Israelis to speak on human rights and peace issues. He retired from his business in 1993 and served ACLU as their Legislative Coordinator and fundraiser until his death. He died on June 23, 2008. The Albert Stern Papers collection consists of articles, a biography, a book, a book review, clippings, correspondence, flyers, a memoir, newsletters, notes, photos, programs, rosters, speeches, and a tribute. | |
