Robert Treuhaft facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Treuhaft
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| Born | August 8, 1912 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | November 11, 2001 (aged 89) New York, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Harvard University (1934) Harvard Law School (LL.B., 1937) |
| Occupation | Attorney, political activist |
| Spouse(s) |
Jessica Mitford
(m. 1943; died 1996) |
Robert Edward Treuhaft was an American lawyer who worked to help people and fight for fairness. He was born on August 8, 1912, and passed away on November 11, 2001. He was married to the writer Jessica Mitford.
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Early Life and Education
Robert Treuhaft was born in New York City on August 8, 1912. His parents had moved to the United States from Hungary. He went to Harvard University and finished his studies there in 1934. After that, he studied law at Harvard Law School, earning his law degree in 1937.
A Career Fighting for Rights
Robert Treuhaft spent most of his life working as a lawyer for important causes. He supported labor unions, which are groups that help workers. He also worked with groups that wanted big changes in society to make things fairer for everyone.
In the 1940s, he and his wife, Jessica Mitford, were members of the Communist Party USA. They left the party in 1958 after new information came out about the leader, Stalin.
Treuhaft became a lawyer in California in 1944. In 1945, he started working at a law firm in Oakland, California. Later, in 1963, he started his own law firm called Treuhaft, Walker, and Bernstein. A famous person, Hillary Clinton, even worked there as a summer intern in 1971.
Helping Others with Legal Advice
Robert Treuhaft was very important in helping his wife, Jessica Mitford, write her famous book, The American Way of Death. This book looked closely at the funeral industry. He gave her a lot of background information and legal details for the book.
In 1964, Treuhaft helped more than 700 students. These students were part of the Free Speech Movement at the University of California in Berkeley. They were arrested during a peaceful protest, and Treuhaft represented them in court.
His law firm also helped many other groups who were fighting for civil rights and peace. They represented people who protested against the Vietnam War. They also worked with groups like the Black Panther Party, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). These groups were all working to end unfair treatment and gain equal rights for all people.
A Special Project
Before he passed away, Robert Treuhaft asked that any donations in his memory go to a project called "Send a Piano to Havana." His son, Benjamin Treuhaft, started this project. The goal was to send pianos to Cuba, even though there were rules against sending things to the island at that time.
Passing Away
Robert Treuhaft died on November 11, 2001.
