Milton R. Konvitz

Milton Ridbas Konvitz was a prominent American constitutional scholar and author, known for his extensive work on civil liberties and his deep engagement with Jewish studies. Born in Safed in the Ottoman Empire, his family immigrated to the United States in 1915, and he became a naturalized citizen in 1926. Konvitz earned degrees from New York University and a Ph.D. in philosophy from Cornell University. He began his career practicing law and working with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, where he assisted Thurgood Marshall. In 1946, he joined Cornell University, holding professorships in both the Law School and the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. For decades, he taught influential courses on American ideals, drawing from diverse texts to illuminate the Constitution's underpinnings. His most noted work, *Bill of Rights Reader: Leading Constitutional Cases*, first published in 1954, became a key text for understanding civil rights law. Beyond constitutional law, Konvitz was a dedicated scholar of Judaism, contributing significantly to Cornell's Program of Jewish Studies and authoring several books on the intersection of Judaism and American thought. He also played a crucial role in codifying the Liberian Constitution. Konvitz retired from Cornell in 1973 but continued his scholarly pursuits, authoring and editing over two dozen books throughout his career. He passed away in 2003, leaving a significant legacy in legal scholarship, constitutional studies, and Jewish intellectual history.