Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Sumner Thurman Bernstein (1924 - 2002) grew up in Portland, Maine, the son of lawyer parents. He served in the South Pacific in the U.S. Army during World War II (achieving the rank of Captain) and attended Harvard University for his undergraduate education and for law school. He returned to Portland after marrying Rosalyne Spindel in 1949, to join his father and uncle’s law practice, which he helped to grow into Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer and Nelson in 1964. He was very engaged with the community, participating in the following organizations, among others, often serving as president or chair of these groups for a portion of his tenure: Portland City Council (1955-1961); Portland School Committee (1955-58); Portland Housing Authority; Downtown Portland Corporation; Maine State Bar Association; Maine Bar Foundation; Jewish Federation of Southern Maine; Temple Beth El; Maine Jewish Council; Jewish Community Center; National Council of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee; Pine Tree Council of the Boy Scouts of America; Portland YMCA; Maine Medical Center; Portland Public Library; and World Affairs Council of Maine. He also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Maine School of Law from 1993-98 and was a member of their Board of Visitors, and he was an instructor at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of the University of Southern Maine. The Papers document his civic work and personal life. They include correspondence, newspaper clippings, and text of his speeches and talks. Of particular value are 25 folders of family correspondence dating from 1940 to 1945, which include letters covering Bernstein’s military training and World War II service. Other records and reminiscences of his army service and Harvard education are present, as well. The Papers also include materials related to his final illness and death, including letters of sympathy and condolence, information about contributions made in his honor, obituaries, eulogies, and other tributes, and videos/cassettes of memorial services and other celebrations of his life. The Papers also include two albums – one documenting the 85-year history of Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer, and Nelson and the other a collection of notes and photos compiled for The Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine’s Evening to Honor Sumner and Rosalyne Bernstein (May 15, 2000).

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06/17/1944

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding new tentmate Herb Schreiber, film about college football, detailed memories of Harvard-Yale football game he attended with father Israel as a child.
06/16/1944

Israel Bernstein

Letter to Sumner Bernstein from father Israel regarding progress of the war; optimism that they are reaching the beginning of the end; Wendell Wilkie article on labor programs.
06/16/1944 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding reading materials, orientation lectures, National Conventions, opinions on Franklin D. Roosevelt, news of bombing Japan.
06/15/1944

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding weekend with Uncle Harold, worries over ratings at officer training, importance of family.
06/14/1944

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding movies and reading material, correspondence with family.
06/13/1944

Israel Bernstein

Letter to Sumner Bernstein from father Israel regarding Rines Brothers deal; appreciation and pride in Sumner.
06/13/1944 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding settling in on island service command post, learning his new job.
06/13/1944 C

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding subscriptions, correspondence with family, Father's Day, civilian tentmate.
06/11/1944

Sumner Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding arrival at Ordnance Office at Service Command Headquarters in the New Hebrides; other officers and Medics.
06/09/1944 B

Israel Bernstein

Letter to Sumner Bernstein from father Israel regarding correspondence; bad luck at poker; news from Uncle Louis.
06/09/1944

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding ocean journey to the New Hebrides, conditions on ship, excitement about assignment, arrival at new posting.
06/08/1944 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding correspondence with family, conditions on Santo [Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu], thoughts on Portland mayoral race, details of mail censorship.
06/08/1944 C

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding movie screenings, thoughts on postwar world, swimming in the South Pacific.
06/07/1944

Sumner Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding new typewriter; entertainment on board ship; attendance at Friday Jewish Services.
06/07/1944 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding anniversary bond for parents, desire for news of European D-Day invasion.
06/06/1944 C

Israel Bernstein

Letter to Sumner Bernstein from father Israel regarding D-Day; hopes for a swift end to the war.
06/06/1944

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to parents from Sumner Bernstein with best wishes for their wedding anniversary, hope that next year they can celebrate in person.
06/06/1944 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding correspondence with family and friends, news from Harvard, wives of great men, postscript on D-Day invasion.
06/05/1944

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding food, drink, and conveniences on base, family's speculation about where he is, subscriptions.
06/04/1944

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding visit to the city on the island, life on base.
06/03/1944

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life and entertainment on base, correspondence with Harvard friends, news from European theater.
06/02/1944

Israel Bernstein

Letter to Sumner Bernstein from father Israel regarding Bernard de Voto article in Harper's about soldiers returning to civilian life entitled "Older than God" (including extensive quotations from article); hope that Sumner will communicate with them about his wartime experiences when he is home.
06/02/1944

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding ordnance work, Laski's Reflections on the Revolution of Our Time, boredom while waiting for assignment, correspondence with friends and family.
06/01/1944

Israel Bernstein

Letter to Sumner Bernstein from father Israel regarding extensive review, anecdotes, and quotations from Yankee from Olympus, biography of Oliver Wendell Holmes by Catherine Drinker Bowen.
06/1944

Sumner Bernstein

Reader's Digest by Sumner Bernstein on "How the South Feels About the Race Problem" article in the Atlantic Monthly.