Walter Nathan Tobriner
Encyclopedia
Walter Nathan Tobriner (July 2, 1902 – 1979) was a local Washington, D.C.
government appointee, one of the last appointed commissioners of the city, and a U.S. ambassador.
Born in Washington, D.C.
, Tobriner attended the Sidwell Friends School
. He went on to study at Princeton University
, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1923, and later received his law degree from Harvard Law School
in 1926. In 1927 Tobriner was admitted to the bar and began to practice law in the Washington, D.C. area. From 1927 to 1950, he was also a professor of law at the National University School for Law. On July 20, 1933, he married Marienne Smith. His only lapse in teaching was from 1943–1946, when he served as a Lt. Colonel in the Army Air Force
.
Tobriner served as the president of the board of the Garfield Memorial Hospital from 1952 to 1955. In 1954, he also was president of the board of the Lisner Home for Women. Tobriner acquired the position as director of the Blue Cross Plan in 1953 and maintained this position until 1961. He also headed the board of the Washington Hospital Center
from 1959 to 1961.
Tobriner served on the Washington Board of Education
from 1952 to 1961. He served as president of the board from 1957 to 1961, during which time was responsible for carrying out the Supreme Court
decision of 1954 which required the desegregation
of public schools. He also served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
in the years 1956, 1960, and 1964. Then in 1961 President Kennedy
appointed him to the Board of Commissioners for Washington D.C. where he served from 1961 to 1967. In fact, he served as the last president of the Board of Commissioners in 1967 when the government of Washington, D.C. underwent reorganization. During this same time, as chairman of the National Housing Authority, Tobriner brought about fair housing and employment ordinances, aimed at ending racial discrimination. He was a trustee of the National Cultural Center
from 1964-1967. From 1966 to 1967 he was also the chairman of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
, when the first contracts for the new subway system contracts were awarded. In the period from 1967 to 1969, Tobriner was appointed as the United States ambassador to Jamaica
. In addition, the U.S. Department of State hired him as a consultant in 1969. Tobriner had also been a member of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City
from 1974 up until his death in 1979.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
government appointee, one of the last appointed commissioners of the city, and a U.S. ambassador.
Born in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Tobriner attended the Sidwell Friends School
Sidwell Friends School
Sidwell Friends School is a Quaker private school located in Bethesda, Maryland and Washington, D.C., offering pre-kindergarten through secondary school classes. Founded in 1883 by Thomas Sidwell, its motto is "Eluceat omnibus lux" , alluding to the Quaker concept of inner light...
. He went on to study at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1923, and later received his law degree from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1926. In 1927 Tobriner was admitted to the bar and began to practice law in the Washington, D.C. area. From 1927 to 1950, he was also a professor of law at the National University School for Law. On July 20, 1933, he married Marienne Smith. His only lapse in teaching was from 1943–1946, when he served as a Lt. Colonel in the Army Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
.
Tobriner served as the president of the board of the Garfield Memorial Hospital from 1952 to 1955. In 1954, he also was president of the board of the Lisner Home for Women. Tobriner acquired the position as director of the Blue Cross Plan in 1953 and maintained this position until 1961. He also headed the board of the Washington Hospital Center
Washington Hospital Center
Washington Hospital Center is the largest private hospital in Washington, D.C.. It serves as a teaching hospital for Georgetown University School of Medicine....
from 1959 to 1961.
Tobriner served on the Washington Board of Education
District of Columbia Public Schools
District of Columbia Public Schools is the traditional public school system of Washington, D.C. in the United States.- Composition and enrollment :...
from 1952 to 1961. He served as president of the board from 1957 to 1961, during which time was responsible for carrying out the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
decision of 1954 which required the desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
of public schools. He also served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in the years 1956, 1960, and 1964. Then in 1961 President Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
appointed him to the Board of Commissioners for Washington D.C. where he served from 1961 to 1967. In fact, he served as the last president of the Board of Commissioners in 1967 when the government of Washington, D.C. underwent reorganization. During this same time, as chairman of the National Housing Authority, Tobriner brought about fair housing and employment ordinances, aimed at ending racial discrimination. He was a trustee of the National Cultural Center
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
from 1964-1967. From 1966 to 1967 he was also the chairman of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is a tri-jurisdictional government agency that operates transit service in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including the Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess...
, when the first contracts for the new subway system contracts were awarded. In the period from 1967 to 1969, Tobriner was appointed as the United States ambassador to Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. In addition, the U.S. Department of State hired him as a consultant in 1969. Tobriner had also been a member of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City
Committee of 100 on the Federal City
The Committee of 100 on the Federal City, locally referred to as the Committee of 100, is a private, nonprofit membership organization which promotes "responsible" land use and planning in Washington, D.C. It is one of the oldest citizen-based urban planning groups in the United States, and a...
from 1974 up until his death in 1979.