NationMaster - Encyclopedia: John J. Raskob

John Jakob Raskob (1879-1950) was a financial executive and businessman who became chairman of the Democratic National Committee and a key supporter of Alfred E. Smith's candidacy for President of the United States. After Franklin D. Roosevelt became President, Raskob became a prominent opponent of the New Deal through his support of a number of anti-Roosevelt organization including the American Liberty League. 1879 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Former Vermont Governor Dr. Howard Dean is the current Chairman of the DNC. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal campaign and fund-raising organization affiliated with the United States Democratic Party. ... Alfred Emanuel Smith ( December 30, 1873– October 4, 1944), often known as Al Smith, was Governor of New York and a U.S. presidential candidate in 1928. ... The President of the United States (unofficially abbreviated POTUS) is the head of state of the United States. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 â€“ April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States (1933-1945), the longest-serving holder of the office and the only person to be elected President more than twice (he was elected four times, and served just over 12 years), was one of the... The New Deal is the name given to the series of legislative initiatives passed by Franklin Roosevelt with the goal of stabilizing and stimulating the United States economy in the Great Depression. ... The American Liberty League was a U.S. organization formed during the New Deal by millionaires and industry leaders with the primary intention of persuading the American people that the programs of the Roosevelt administration were leading the U.S. toward socialism, bankruptcy and tyranny. ...

After his disillusionment with prohibition, Raskob became a leader in the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment. His efforts helped lead to the repeal of prohibition. In 1919, the legislatures of the States ratified Amendment XVIII to the national Constitution, declaring national prohibition within one year of ratification. ...

He was initially hired in 1901 by Pierre DuPont as a personal secretary. In 1911 he became assistant treasurer of DuPont, in 1914 treasurer, and in 1918 vice-president of finance for both DuPont and General Motors (Raskob had been an early investor in General Motors and had engineered DuPont's ownership of 43% of GM, purchased from the finacially troubled William C. Durant. Pierre Dupont (April 23, 1821 - July 24, 1870), French song-writer, the son of a blacksmith, was born at Lyons. ... 1911 was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... This article is about the DuPont company. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... General Motors Corporation NYSE: GM, also known as GM, is a United States-based automobile maker with worldwide operations and brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Saab and Vauxhall. ... William Crapo Durant (December 8, 1861-March 18, 1947) was a leading pioneer of the United States automobile industry, creating the system of multi-brand holding companies with different lines of cars. ...

While with GM, he led the creation of General Motors Acceptance Corporation, the corporation that allowed GM dealers to offer installment credit directly to customers. He also promoted the use of standard financial statistics to measure the performance of different operations within a diversified company, primarily through his associate Donaldson Brown. Donaldson Brown (1885-1965) was a financial executive and corporate director with both DuPont and General Motors. ...

Raskob held the head financial job at both firms until 1928, when he resigned from GM in a dispute with chairman Alfred P. Sloan. Raskob had supported Democratic presidential candidate Al Smith in the 1928 election, and Smith invited Raskob to become chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Sloan, a supporter of Herbert Hoover, insisted that Raskob resign either from GM or the DNC. Raskob left GM after the board supported Sloan, sold his GM stock, and used the proceeds to build the Empire State Building. Raskob served as chairman of the DNC through 1932 and was a key supporter of Roosevelt. However, he remained with DuPont until his retirement in 1946. 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Cover of Time Magazine (December 27, 1926) Alfred Pritchard Sloan, Jr. ... Alfred Emanuel Al Smith (December 30, 1873 â€“ October 4, 1944) was Governor of New York and a U.S. presidential candidate in 1928. ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Former Vermont Governor Dr. Howard Dean is the current Chairman of the DNC. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal campaign and fund-raising organization affiliated with the United States Democratic Party. ... Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 â€“ October 20, 1964) the 31st President of the United States (1929-1933). ... The Empire State Building, a 102-story contemporary Art Deco style building in New York City, was designed by Shreve, Lamb and Harmon Associates and built in 1931. ... 1932 (MCMXXXII) is a leap year starting on a Friday. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

Raskob had 13 children, and lost one son to an auto accident at the age of 20, establishing a charitable foundation in his honor which survives today. After his death, a substantial amount of his wealth went to support the Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities, which had been founded in the mid-1940's, and remains one of the largest family-operating charitable foundations in the U.S.

See also

Repeal organizations As increasing numbers of people became disillusioned with the negative effects of national prohibition in the United States, a variety of repeal organizations emerged. ...

Categories: DNC Chairmen | DuPont | General Motors executives | Businesspeople | American Political Figures of the 1930s Former Vermont Governor Dr. Howard Dean is the current Chairman of the DNC. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal campaign and fund-raising organization affiliated with the United States Democratic Party. ... This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ... August Belmont August Belmont, Sr. ... Abram Stevens Hewitt (1822 – 1903) was a teacher, lawyer, an iron manufacturer, U.S. Congressman, and a mayor of New York City. ... James Kimbrough Jones (1839 - 1908) was a U.S. politician. ... Thomas Taggart Thomas Taggart (November 17, 1856â€“March 6, 1929) was a U.S. political figure. ... Homer Stille Cummings (1870 - 1956) was a U.S. political figure. ... George White (August 21, 1872 - December 15, 1953) was a Democratic politician from Ohio. ... Secretary Hull Cordell Hull ( October 2, 1871– July 23, 1955) was United States Secretary of State from 1933- 1944 under Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945. ... In American history, James Farley led the Bonus army in 1932. ... Edward J. Flynn of the Bronx, New York was a member of New York state assembly from 1918 to 1921. ... Frank Comerford Walker (May 30, 1886–September 13, 1959) was a United States political figure. ... Robert Emmet Hannegan was born on June 30, 1903, in St. ... McGrath (middle left) with Theodore Francis Green (right) and Harry S. Truman (far right). ... Stephen Mitchell was a psychoanalyst whose writings before his untimely death in 2003 helped to clarify many disparate psychoanalytic theories and theoreticians. ... Paul Butler (1905 - 1961) was a U.S. lawyer. ... Henry Martin Scoop Jackson (May 31, 1912 â€“ September 1, 1983) was a U.S. Congressman and Senator for Washington State from 1941 until his death. ... John Moran Bailey (1904 - 1975) was a U.S. political figure. ... OBrien, c. ... Fred Roy Harris (born November 13, 1930) was a Democratic United States Senator from the state of Oklahoma from 1964 to 1973. ... OBrien, c. ... Robert Schwarz Strauss (born 1918) was a U.S. diplomat and political figure. ... Kenneth Merwin Curtis (born February 8, 1931 in Leeds, Maine) is a former democratic politician, and is currently a principal in the law firm of Curtis Thaxter Stevens Broder & Micoleau Limited Liability Company, P.A. Curtis was a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy and received his law degree... John C. White was Chairman of The Democratic National Committee from 1978 to 1981. ... Charles Taylor Manatt (born 1936) was a U.S. Democratic political figure. ... Paul Kirk Jr. ... Ronald Harmon Brown (August 1, 1941 â€“ April 3, 1996), was the first black United States Secretary of Commerce, serving during the first term of President Bill Clinton. ... David Wilhelm (born 2 October 1956) is an American political operative and businessman. ... Christopher John Dodd (born May 27, 1944), is an American politician. ... Roy Romer (born 1928) was a U.S. political figure. ... Gov. ... Terry McAuliffe opening the 2004 Democratic National Convention Terrence R. Terry McAuliffe (born 1957) is an American political leader from the Democratic Party; he served as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee from February 2001 to February 2005. ... Howard Brush Dean III, M.D. (born November 17, 1948) is a prominent American Democratic politician, currently serving as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. ...