Joseph Cohen Papers

The Joseph Cohen Papers were donated in 2009 by Dr. Mary Cohen of Overland Park, Kansas. All papers received before 2009 have been arranged and described in this inventory. Dr. Mary Cohen, by the act of donating the Joseph Cohen Papers to the American Jewish Archives, assigned the property rights to the American Jewish Archives. All literary rights to material authored by Joseph Cohen or Barton Cohen are held by the Cohen heirs. Questions concerning rights should be addressed to the Executive Director of the American Jewish Archives. The papers are available to researchers in the reading room of the Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives.

Joseph Cohen was born on March 23, 1902 in Kansas City, Missouri. After attending the University of Kansas and the University of Colorado, Cohen obtained his LLB at the University of Missouri in Kansas City in 1924.

Prior to entering law practice, Cohen worked as a newspaper reporter for the Kansas City Star for seven years. In 1924 Cohen organized the Kansas Association of B'nai B'rith Lodges. Remaining active in B'nai B'rith, Cohen was later elected president of District Grand Lodge No. 2 and was a member of the national commission of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith for 35 years.

In the early years of his law practice, Cohen earned a reputation for winning civil case judgments on behalf of African American clients. He often spoke in favor of laws prohibiting discrimination in employment and maintained an interest in civil rights legislation throughout his career. Cohen was also a banker, being chairman of the board of Rosedale State Bank and Trust Company of Kansas City and the Metcalf State Bank of Overland Park, Kansas.

Very active in communal affairs, Cohen was a member and officer in many groups, including the American Bar Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association, and numerous other local groups. Cohen was a member of Congregation B'nai Jehudah, Kansas City, and an honorary member of the Board of Congregation Ohev Sholom, Prairie Village, Kansas.

Married to Margaret Pollock, Cohen had three children: Barton, Hildred, and Miles. Following Margaret's death, Cohen married Marjorie Blond.

Joseph Cohen died on September 2, 1974.

Joseph's son, Barton P. Cohen (1930-2006) assumed control of the Metcalf State Bank upon his father's death. Together with his wife Mary, Barton was also very involved in the Kansas City area community. Through his professional and charitable activities Barton made a lasting impact in the Jewish and non-Jewish communities of Kansas City, as his papers attest.

The JOSEPH COHEN PAPERS contain personal and business papers of Joseph Cohen, a Kansas City banker and lawyer, together with papers of his son, Barton.

The papers are divided into two series: Series A. Joseph Cohen and Series B. Barton P. Cohen. The Joseph Cohen material makes up the bulk of the collection. Consisting of correspondence, business papers, personal and family items, speeches, and newsclippings, this series documents Joseph Cohen's life from his childhood to his death. Also included are a number of files concerning the disposition of Cohen's estate following his death and memorial tributes in his honor, including the Joseph Cohen Memorial Lecture, which was established at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, by his son, Barton. These files contain information on the creation of the lecture series together with information on the speakers from its inception in 1979 up to 2005.

Series B. Barton P. Cohen, contains files by and about him, including newsclippings, correspondence and a large file of family history compiled and collected by Barton Cohen.

The records are divided into two (2) series:

• SERIES A. JOSEPH COHEN.
• SERIES B. BARTON P. COHEN

Included with this collection were a large amount of non-print materials (photographs and audio recordings) of Joseph and Barton Cohen. More information on these items may be obtained through the online catalog of the American Jewish Archives.