Theodore "Ted" H. Jacobsen

Theodore "Ted" H. Jacobsen
Labor Leader/Educator
Russian/Polish
1993 Recipient

Secretary Emeritus
NYC Central Labor Council
www.NYCCLC.org
Freemason and Shriner

Having served for more than two decades as elected Secretary of the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, (currently, Secretary Emeritus), with its nearly 400 affiliated local unions, representing more than 1.5 million working men and women in our great city, Ted -- as he is more familiarly known -- has long been committed to the idea of service: first, and perhaps foremost, as a young teacher of English in the New York City public high schools. Through thirty years of instilling students with the idea that curiosity, controlled by competence, might beget knowledge, Ted was practicing what he preached -- building on what he had learned at Fordham, and through his graduate work via Columbia, Hunter, NYU and at the Alliance Française, in Paris, and the Sorbonne. Along the way, he also expanded his communication skills through studies in Mandarin Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, the language of the computerized world and as a world traveler.

When he joined the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), after the military as a Field Artillery Officer, service as a trade unionist became evident as he rose to positions of responsibility: serving often as the official delegate to labor, professional and ethnical conferences and conventions and was selected by Albert Shanker to be editor of the UFT's citywide newsletter--as well as several others. He was a vice president of the New York State Union Label and Service Trades Department, was longtime Treasurer of the Educators Chapter, a founding member of the Coalition of Labor Union Women, a founding member of the UFT's Italian American Studies Committee, was instrumental in establishing the Council's Asian American Labor Committee and was a delegate to the founding convention of the National AFL-CIO's Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, former Elder and advisor to the United African Congress in NYC, former member of the Citizens’ Commission for the African Union, cu rrent member of Celebrate Africa Foundation, served on the Board of United Way of New York City and served as Trustee of the American Red Cross of Greater New York, was vice chair of the New York City Board of Education’s Advisory Council for Occupational Education for more than ten years, the New York City School-to-Work Regional Council, the Council on the Environment of New York City, the Italian Hospital Society, Order of the Sons [and Daughters] of Italy in America (charter member of Lt. Joseph Petrosino Lodge No. 2741), National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), the Italian Legions of Merit, the Catholic Interracial Council, Workmen's Circle MultiCare Center, New York State Coastal Management Advisory Committee of the New York Maritime Industry, the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, and is a retired teacher from the NYC Board of Education but remains a member of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), the American Federation of Television and Radio Artis ts (AFTRA), a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Consumer Assembly, NAACP (Gold and Diamond Life Heritage), Workmen's Circle (Life Member), the Actors Fund (Life Member), Television and Radio Working Press Association, member of the Grand Street Boys, former Board member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the United Nations Association, Patron of the Metropolitan Opera, Patron of the former Amigos del Teatro Teresa Carreño (Caracas, Venezuela), NGO (non-governmental organization) Representative to the United Nations for the charitable organization: American Foundation of Savoy Orders, and a multitude of other community, political, charitable, religious, ethnic, union and professional organizations.

Designed and personally produced a United States Post Office (USPS)-accepted postage stamp commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Giuseppe Garibaldi, fighter for freedom and justice in South America (Brazil and Uruguay), Italy and other European countries, a major hero of the Risorgimento in the unification of Italy: A “Hero of Two Worlds.” He also designed and produced a stamp to memorialize the 700th Anniversary of the fateful day of Friday the 13th in March 1307 when Jacque de Molay was cruelly tortured and unashamedly burned at the stake by Phillip IV of France just to get the Knights Templar’s estates and wealth. Ted produced a stamp to mark the 200th Anniversary of the birth (April 13, 1808) of Antonio Meucci who invented the telephone long before Bell and lost the patent for lack of $10 to maintain his temporary patent (caveat). He is also produced a stamp to commemorate the 250th Anniversary of Scotland’s premier poet Robert Burns, Bard of Ayrs hire, born in 1759.

Ted has participated in many study tours and guided groups through Puerto Rico, Ireland, Egypt, Israel, Spain, Italy, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and helped host and met with a number of world renowned leaders on their travels, such as Yitzak Rabin, Lech Walesa, Nelson Mandela, Harry Wu, Jerry Adams and Wei Jingsheng, to name a few. Maintains personal and professional relations with the three major Italian labor federations and their officers (CGIL, CISL & UIL), as well as a number of Italian parliamentarians. Ted was an invited guest of the government of Morocco to attend and participate in the Casablanca Charity and Sports Festival. Was a member of NYC2012, joining with the Mayor and many other prominent supporters from labor and industry in Singapore in the City’s efforts to attract the 2012 Summer Olympics.

In addition to being listed in "Who's Who in America ," " Who's Who in the World ," and " Who's Who in the East," Ted has been honored by many different organizations through the years: The Roberto Clemente Award of the National Association of Puerto Rican Civil Rights; Teacher of the Year by the Association of Teachers of New York; 80th Anniversary Exemplar Award by the NAACP; Greater New York Councils Boys Scouts of America Good Scout and George Meany Awards; the Torch of Light by the Pride of Judea Mental Health Center; Congressional Ellis Island Medal of Honor by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO); the Robert Briscoe Award of the Emerald Isle Immigration Center; the John LaFarge Memorial Award for Interracial Justice by the Catholic Interracial Council of New York; the Distinguished Service Award of the Italian Hospital Society; Decorated by the President of Italy wit h title and grade of "Cavaliere" in the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy ; Decorated with title and grade of "Cavaliere Ufficiale" and “Commendatore” in the Order of Sts. Maurice and Lazarus by the Royal House of Savoy; "Commendatore" and "Grande Ufficiale" in the Order of Merit of the Royal House of Savoy; Decorated “Cavaliere” in the Royal Order of Francis I of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George by the Royal House of Bourbon of the Two Sicilies; conferred Chieftaincy title (Enyioha I, “friend of the world”) by the Udumeze of Ohafia, Nigeria; Humanitarian and Philanthropic Award from the Celebrate Africa Foundation; Paul Cardinal Yu-Pin Award of the Sino-American Amity Fund; the Nelson Mandela Humanitarian Award by the United African Congress;“Cavaleiro Honorario” in the Royal Order of St. Michael of the Wing of the Royal House of Bragança, Portugal; “ser ving brother” of The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St . John of Jerusalem; Asian American Heritage Committee’s Year of the Rooster Recognition Award;and the 2008 Golden Lion Citizenship Award from the New York Grand Lodge Foundation of the Order Sons (and Daughters) of Italy; award by the U.S. Department of Labor along with many other plaques and distinguished service awards from labor and community organizations.

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