A. Lincoln Filene
Encyclopedia
Abraham Lincoln Filene was an American
businessman, social entrepreneur
, and philanthropist
. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he was one of 5 children of William Filene and Clara Ballin. A German
-Jewish immigrant from Posen
, Prussia
who immigrated to the United States in 1848, William Filene founded Filene's
department stores.
Known by his middle name, Lincoln, together with his older brother Edward
, he built his father's store into a highly success business.
Lincoln Filene married Thérèse Weill. A family involved in the arts, they were part of the group who founded the Boston Symphony Orchestra
. Their daughter, Catherine Filene Shouse
, received numerous domestic and international honors for her contribution to the arts and who donated the land and provided funding for Virginia's
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
.
A social reformer, Lincoln Filene supported the American women's suffrage movement
and went against the position taken by most members of the American business community when he publicly supported President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal
agenda.
Filene had a keen interest in educational issues and served as a member of the Executive Board of the National Committee for the Department of Education
. A philanthropist, in 1937 he and his wife established the Lincoln and Therese Filene Foundation. They supported numerous educational endeavours including the "Lincoln Filene Center for Citizenship and Public Affairs" at Tufts University
and in 1955 funded the first educational television
station in the city of Boston.
Lincoln Filene died in 1957 in Marstons Mills, Massachusetts
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman, social entrepreneur
Social entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurship is the work of social entrepreneurs. A social entrepreneur recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve social change . While a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a...
, and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he was one of 5 children of William Filene and Clara Ballin. A German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-Jewish immigrant from Posen
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
who immigrated to the United States in 1848, William Filene founded Filene's
Filene's
Filene's was a Boston-based department store owned by Federated Department Stores , and May Department Stores . It operated throughout New England and in New York.-Early years:...
department stores.
Known by his middle name, Lincoln, together with his older brother Edward
Edward Filene
Edward Albert Filene was an American businessman, social entrepreneur and philanthropist...
, he built his father's store into a highly success business.
Lincoln Filene married Thérèse Weill. A family involved in the arts, they were part of the group who founded the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
. Their daughter, Catherine Filene Shouse
Catherine Filene Shouse
Catherine Filene Shouse was a researcher and philanthropist. She graduated in 1918 from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. She worked for the Women's Division of the U.S. Employment Service of the Department of Labor, and the Democratic National Committee...
, received numerous domestic and international honors for her contribution to the arts and who donated the land and provided funding for Virginia's
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, known locally in the Washington, D.C. area as simply Wolf Trap, is a performing arts center located on 130 acres of national park land in Wolf Trap, Virginia...
.
A social reformer, Lincoln Filene supported the American women's suffrage movement
History of women's suffrage in the United States
Woman suffrage in the United States was achieved gradually, at state and local levels, during the 19th Century and early 20th Century, culminating in 1920 with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which provided: "The right of citizens of the United States to...
and went against the position taken by most members of the American business community when he publicly supported President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
agenda.
Filene had a keen interest in educational issues and served as a member of the Executive Board of the National Committee for the Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
. A philanthropist, in 1937 he and his wife established the Lincoln and Therese Filene Foundation. They supported numerous educational endeavours including the "Lincoln Filene Center for Citizenship and Public Affairs" at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
and in 1955 funded the first educational television
Educational television
Educational television is the use of television programs in the field of distance education. It may be in the form of individual television programs or dedicated specialty channels that is often associated with cable television in the United States as Public, educational, and government access ...
station in the city of Boston.
Lincoln Filene died in 1957 in Marstons Mills, Massachusetts
Marstons Mills, Massachusetts
Marstons Mills is a village in the City of Barnstable, Massachusetts. It was founded by the Marston Family in 1648. They built grist mills along the Marstons Mills River, hence the name of the village. It is primarily residential, located on Route 28, and rural in nature...
.