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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11/02/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding American Jewish community; Harvard alumni bulletin; Palestine; postwar Japan.
11/01/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; plans for education.
10/30/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding position of African Americans after the war; responses to news clippings.
10/30/1945 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding postwar media.

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10/30/1945 C

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding international politics; American labor disputes; plans for education.
10/29/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; Marshall report; Palestine; Zionism.
10/28/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; life in college; CSB; Palestine; football; Brandeis family.
10/27/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; London conference; atomic bomb; Truman; Marshall plan; MacArthur.
10/26/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding correspondence; life on base; American-British relations; New York mayoral campaign; South Pacific.
10/26/1945 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding college experience; Zionism; Truman.
10/26/1945 C

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding "Uncle Lou"'s engagement.
10/25/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family form Sumner T. Bernstein regarding correspondence; Portland, ME politics; demobilization; Harvard; Palestine; Zionism; Jewish scientific contributions to the atomic bomb.
10/24/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; Truman's plan for military training; Zionism.

[incomplete]
10/24/1945 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding French politics; South American politics; General Motors; postwar military set up.
10/22/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; international news; length of overseas service.
10/19/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; correspondence; Japanese economic policies; Argentine labor movement.
10/17/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding Indonesian independence movement; reflections on Dennis Brogan's The American Character; Jewish displaced persons.
10/15/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; Harvard football; Argentina.
10/14/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; Russia; atomic bomb.
10/12/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding American labor issues; War Department estimates for troop strengths in 1946.
10/11/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding correspondence; David Lawrence column on investigating Army errors; London Conference; American labor disputes; atomic bomb; aid to Russia.
10/10/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding the Army; State Department directive on Japan; demobilization; European politics; correspondence.
10/09/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding discharge from Army; international politics; American handling of postwar Germany; Zionism; Allied control of Japan; Palestine; unions.
10/07/1945

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; London Conference; atomic bomb; American isolationism; Argentina.
10/07/1945 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner T. Bernstein regarding life on base; Zionism.