American, Sadie, 1862-1944
Biography
One of the founders of the National Council of Jewish Women, its first corresponding secretary (1893–1905), and later the paid executive secretary of the organization (1905–1914), American functioned as executive director, organizing local sections across the United States, representing the group at national and international meetings, and taking care of the routine work that building the organization required. In addition to these national duties, she also served as president of the council’s New York section and was instrumental in establishing the organization’s reputation as an effective agency for assisting Jewish immigrants. Yet her years of work on behalf of the organization were not without controversy. She resigned as executive secretary in 1914 and severed all ties with the council in 1916. Source: Jewish Women a Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia (http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/