James Grover McDonald

James Grover McDonald (November 29, 1886 – September 25, 1964) was a United States diplomat. He served as the first U.S. Ambassador to Israel.

McDonald was born in Coldwater, Ohio on November 29, 1886. His parents operated a hotel, and later relocated to Albany, Indiana to operate a second one.

McDonald received his bachelor's degree from Indiana University (IU) in 1909, and completed a master's degree in History, Political Science, and International Relations at IU in 1910. He was selected for a teaching fellowship in history at Harvard University, and he remained there until returning to Indiana University as an assistant professor in 1914.

While living in Albany McDonald met Ruth Stafford, and they married in 1915. They had two children, daughters Barbara Ann and Janet.

McDonald taught at IU until 1918, including a break in 1915 and 1916 to study in Spain as a Harvard University traveling fellow. He also taught summer sessions at the University of Georgia in 1916 and 1917.

In 1919 McDonald moved to New York City to work for the Civil Service Reform Association.

In 1933 James Grover McDonald was assigned to High Commission Refugees (Jewish and Other). This body was proposed in October 1933. According to the proposal the High Commission would be an entirely autonomous organization in charge of finding its own funding as it would receive no financial support from the League of Nations that it was affiliated with. The commission did not report to the League of Nations but rather only to the Commission’s Governing Body. The resolution for this commission was passed on October 12, 1933.

During his time as High Commissioner McDonald sought out numerous avenues for support in his crusade to rescue the suffering German Jews. He made numerous appeals to organizations such as the United States’ government and the Vatican for support but ultimately found himself quite isolated in his crusade. Promises of aid were often made, as were the case with a promised ten thousand dollar donation from Congress that President Roosevelt committed to, but as with Roosevelt’s money, very few ever became a reality.

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