Kivie Kaplan (April 1, 1904 – May 5, 1975) was an American businessman and philanthropist. He served as president of the

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. ...

(NAACP) from 1966 until his death. Kivie Kaplan was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the youngest of three sons of Benjamin and Celia Kaplan, Lithuanian Jewish immigrants. In 1924, he and his brothers, Joseph and Archie, took over their father's leather business; he helped run the tanneries until 1962, when he retired to devote his time to philanthropic work. In 1925, Kivie Kaplan married Emily Rogers, whom he was married to until his death. They had three children, Sylvia, Jean, and Edward. Kaplan joined the

(NAACP) in 1932 and was elected to the National Board in 1954. In 1966, he was elected its President and held that post until his death. As president, Kaplan spoke throughout the United States on the organization's behalf and sought financial contributions. Kaplan was a trustee of two black colleges, Lincoln University and

Tougaloo College Tougaloo College is a private historically black college in the Tougaloo area of Jackson, Mississippi. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It was originally established in 1869 by New Yor ...

, and treasurer of ''

The Crisis ''The Crisis'' is the official magazine of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). It was founded in 1910 by W. E. B. Du Bois (editor), Oswald Garrison Villard, J. Max Barber, Charles Edward Russell, Kelly Mi ...

'' magazine. Kaplan was also involved in Jewish affairs and was a member of the Board of Trustees of the

Union of American Hebrew Congregations The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC) until 2003, founded in 1873 by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, is the congregational arm of Reform Judaism in North America. The other two arms established b ...

. He contributed substantial sums of money to the

Jewish Memorial Hospital Jewish Memorial Hospital was a former hospital in New York City. It opened 1898 and subsequently relocated twice. The hospital permanently closed in 1982. History The 1934-built eight-story 186-bed Inwood, Manhattan Inwood is a neighborhood ...

in Boston and

Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , ...

. He received numerous awards and honorary degrees, including the Amistad Award of the American Missionary Association and honorary degrees from

Wilberforce University Wilberforce University is a private historically black university in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans. It participates ...

, Hebrew Union College, and Lincoln University. He and his wife Emily fought in support of civil rights for all. He was one in a long line of American Jews who held a leadership role in African American civil rights groups.

References

Bibliography

*S. Norman Feingold and William B. Silverman, ''Kivie Kaplan: A Legend in His Own Time'', Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1976, .

External links

Kivie Kaplan Papers
(includes brief biography) 1904 births 1975 deaths Businesspeople from Boston Jewish American philanthropists American people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent Philanthropists from Massachusetts NAACP activists 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American philanthropists 20th-century American Jews {{US-activist-stub