Jeremiah Jenks

Who was Jeremiah Jenks?

Jeremiah Whipple Jenks, Ph.D., LL.D. was an American economist and educator, born at Saint Clair, Michigan. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1878, studied for several years in Germany, taking his doctorate from the University of Halle in 1885, and after his return to the United States, studied law and was admitted to the bar. He held professorships at both Cornell University as member of the President White School of History and Political Science and New York University. Professor Jenks was especially interested in the political aspects of economic problems and he served frequently on various government commissions and made many reports on currency, labor, and immigration issues.

Jenks was a member of the U.S. Commission on International Exchange. He was appointed in 1907 a member of the United States Immigration Commission. Jenks and his key staff assistant, anthropologist Daniel Folkmar collaborated on an extensive Dictionary of Races that became an important feature of the Commission’s report to Congress.