Lieberman, Elias

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LIEBERMAN, ELIAS

LIEBERMAN, ELIAS (1883–1969), U.S. educator and poet. Lieberman, who was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, went with his family to the United States at the age of seven. He began teaching in the New York public school system in 1903. Lieberman served as principal of Thomas Jefferson High Schoolin Brooklyn from 1924 to 1940, and then as associate superintendent of schools. He published four volumes of poetry and was a contributor to various periodicals. His patriotic poem "I am an American," which first appeared in 1916, has been reprinted in numerous anthologies and school books. Among the literary magazines that he at one time helped edit were Puck, Current Literature, and The American Hebrew.

[Hillel Halkin]