Harry Lashkowitz was born in the city of Kamentz-Podolsk in the southern Ukraine on May 1, 1889, the son of Isadore and Bessie (Tullman) Lashkowitz.  The family immigrated to the United States in 1896. Harry's father settled in New York City on the east side and established a modest butcher shop. In 1905 Isadore moved his family to Fargo, N.D. and continued as a butcher. Harry attended P.S. 20 in New York City as a youngster and he returned to New York from Fargo to attend secondary school at the City College of New York. In 1905 he advanced from the Academy to the Collegiate Department and received a B.A. of Law from New York University Brooklyn School of Law in 1912. While attending college Harry worked at the university settlement house, which he later claimed had a great affect on his life. Harry returned to Fargo in 1912 and worked under Judge A. T. Cole until he passed the North Dakota Bar Examination and began a private practice. He taught commercial law at the North Dakota Agricultural College from 1916 to 1917. As Harry's law practice grew he hired an associate, Leland J. Smith, in 1925 and they practiced together as Lashkowitz and Smith until 1939. In his law practice, Harry represented many people in the community in a variety of legal matters.

An early Progressive Republican and Nonpartisan League supporter and later a Roosevelt Democrat he was very involved in local and national politics. He ran for States Attorney in Cass County in 1918 (primary), 1926, and 1932 failing to win in all three races. He failed to win in 1930 the race for North Dakota Attorney General. He was appointed First Assistant United States Attorney under P. W. Lanier for District 1, State of North Dakota by President Franklin Roosevelt on September 1, 1933, a position he held until he resigned on October 1, 1953. Harry's final attempt at elected office took place in 1962 when he ran unsuccessfully for the judgeship of the First Judicial District. The highlight of Harry's political involvement was the seconding speech he made for Roosevelt at the 1936 Democratic convention which Damon Runyan acclaimed as one of the four best seconding speeches at the convention.

Harry was also deeply involved in local, national, and international Jewish matters. Locally, he was a member of the Fargo Hebrew Congregation and later the Temple Beth El. He was a member of Fargo's John Hay Lodge #634, and served as vice-president of the District Grand Lodge no. 6 of B'nai B'rith.  In the Grand Lodge he served on the executive committee and in 1931 was elected president. Harry corresponded with many national leaders of B'nai B'rith and the Anti-Defamation League of the B'nai B'rith while serving on various committees. Some of the committees he served on were the Committee of Jewish Settlement in America, Allied Jewish Campaign (Chairman), Widerscope Committee, Jewish Relief Society (Secretary), and on the advisory committee for the Jewish Book Club. He was also involved with the Denver Jewish Hospital, Cleveland Orphans Home, Zionist Drives, and the Jewish Agricultural Society in legal and administrative matters. During the Jewish Tercentenary in the United States he served as chairman of the Fargo Committee. Harry authored articles about Jewish settlement in North Dakota and contributed an article about Jews in North Dakota to the Jewish Encyclopedia. Harry also was a founder of the North Dakota Public Relations Committee, co-chairman of the Conference of Christians and Jews, a member of the American Civil Liberties Union, and a member of the National Council on Civil Rights.

Harry was involved in local organizations. As a member of the Elks Lodge #260 he served as Exalted Ruler in 1930, Special Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler under Sam Stern from 1952 to 1953, and chairman of the North Dakota Elks Association American Committee. He was also a 32nd Degree Mason and a Shriner. In 1934 Harry was president of the Fargo Central High School PTA.

Harry married Etta Levitz on June 17, 1917. Etta was born at Devils Lake, N.D. on August 3, 1893. The daughter of Mandel and Bessie Levitz, two early settlers in Ramsey County. Fire destroyed the Levitz farmstead and Etta moved ith her parents to St. Paul, and Sauk Center, Minn. before moving to Fargo in 1894. Harry and Etta had four children, Herschel I. (Apr. 2, 1918), Jane Deborah (Jan. 22, 1920), Loraine Rhea (1926), and Shelly James (1928). Harry died on June 28, 1963, Etta on August 22, 1971 and Jane on September 19, 1973. All are buried at Beth El Memorial Park in Fargo. 
 

Harry Lashkowitz Papers  |  Legal