From Refugee to Rights Advocate: A Life and Lessons in Resistance and Justice

media release: Born in Nazi Germany and one of the last living survivors of the MS St. Louis voyage Tom Jacobson escaped the Holocaust as a child after being denied refuge by multiple countries, including the U.S. His family eventually found safety in Milwaukee, where he grew up and later graduated from UW Law School. Fueled by his early experiences with injustice, Jacobson became a leading civil rights attorney, partnering with Lloyd Barbee to form Milwaukee's first integrated law firm. Jacobson led the fight against segregation and discrimination in employment, education, housing, and police misconduct. He fought for economic justice and civil rights, winning two significant cases in his first decade of practice at the U.S. Supreme Court. His story is a powerful reminder that the pursuit of justice is ongoing, and one person can make a difference in shaping history.  Free and open to all, with reception to follow. 

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