Daniel Leab

His father was Leo Liebeskind (1897–1979) of Berlin.

His mother was Herta Marcus (1901–1981) from the East Prussian town of Gilgenburg (now Dąbrówno, Poland).

He wrote his doctoral dissertation on the formative years of the American Newspaper Guild (1933-1936).

Daniel Joseph Leab (29 August 1936 – 15 November 2016) was an American historian of 20th-century history.

He made significant academic contributions to fields of American labor unions and anti-Communism.

He was long-time editor of three journals and magazines.

Leab was born Daniel Joseph Liebeskind on 29 August 1936 in Berlin, German.

Although they had planned to leave Germany for Palestine, instead they emigrated to America in 1943, where they changed the surname from Liebeskind to Leab.

In 1957, Leab obtained a BA from Columbia University.

From 1957 to 1958, he attended Harvard Law School.

In the 1960s, Leab served as an editorial assistant of and contributing editor to the Columbia Journalism Review.

Returning to Columbia, he obtained an MA in 1961 and PhD in 1969.

Leab married Katharine Kyes, the editor of American Book Prices Current (published by Bancroft-Parkman, Inc.), in 1964.

They had three children: Abigail Leab Martin, Constance Rigney, and Marcus Leab.

Leab quoted aphorisms to describe views on history with which he disagreed:

Leab held that such aphorisms merely pointed out "failings of History as a discipline and as a guide."

Instead, he expressed his views on history with a quote from poet Maya Angelou: "History, despite its wrenching pain Cannot be unlived, but if faced With courage, need not be lived again."

In 1966, Leab began teaching at universities.

He first taught in the history department of his alma mater, Columbia University.

Eventually, he served there as associate dean of Columbia College, a member of the university's central administration, and member of the executive committee of the university's senate.

He was also visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania (1986 spring) and at the Heim-Hoch-Volksschule, in Falkenstein, Bavaria, Germany (June 1970, July 1972, July 1975).

In 1974, he began teaching at Seton Hall University.

He began as an associate professor.

In 1974, Leab became managing editor of peer-reviewed Labor History journal and served for more than two decades, as well as editor of the Historical Journal of Film, Radio, and Television published by the International Association for Media and History (IAMHIST).

He was also publisher of American Books Prices Current, edited by his wife.

He was a senior Fulbright lecturer at the University of Cologne two times (1977 spring, 1986–1987) and in 2008 he was a visiting professor of history there.

By 1980, he had become a full professor.

He taught 20th-century history for more than three decades there.

Provost John Duff appointed him to oversee the university's American Studies Program.

He served as acting chairman of the Department of History and two years as chair of University Rank and Tenure Committee.

He created and directed its Multi-Cultural Program.

He wrote or edited seven books, published more than 90 articles, and lectured extensively in Europe and America.

Research topics included labor history, history in film, and cultural conflicts of the Cold War.

In 1982, he was primary founder and long-time managing editor of American Communist History, peer-reviewed journal of the academic group Historians of American Communism (HOAC).

He also served as HOAC secretary and treasurer, along with John Earl Haynes.

Leab helped administer both Seton Hall and Columbia universities:

He served as a board member for Blue Card (Holocaust Survivors Aid Organization) (1993–2000).

He served on the Connecticut Region 12 Board of Education for Bridgewater-Roxbury-Washington (1997–2001, 2003–2004).

He served as justice of the peace for Washington, Connecticut, from 1999 until his death.

He served on the board of trustees and secretary for the Clockwork Community Theatre of Oakville, Connecticut (2000–2001).