Selig Perlman
1888-1959
Professor of Economics
Perlman signed the charter that established UW Credit Union in 1931, and served as President of the credit union's first Board of Directors. Of the original Board, he served the longest, until 1936.
Perlman was born in Poland when it was part of Czarist Russia. When he was 18, he went to Italy to study economics at the University of Naples. He immigrated to the United States in 1908, and began his studies at the University of Wisconsin in 1909. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1913.
John R. Commons referred to Perlman as "my brilliant colleague" and wrote, "There came to me in 1909 my beloved Selig Perlman at the age of 19, speaking a surprising number of European languages (seven in all). He helped me for several years on my history of labor in the United States, and then published books of his own on the labor movement in this and other countries through which he had traveled in Europe."
Perlman served as a special investigator or the U.S. Commission on Industrial Relations from 1913 until 1915. His research and writings influenced the development of the American model of trade based labor unions. He never saw government as the hope of working people, but believed unionism with intelligent leadership would create forward progress. Perlman published a number of important works, including A Theory of the Labor Movement (1928). Embodying the Wisconsin Idea, Perlman passionately supported the Summer School for Workers and served as a principal mentor during its first 25 years. He also personally supported scholarships to the school. He held deep religious beliefs, while demonstrating great tolerance for the views of others. He served as faculty advisor to the Hillel Foundation at UW-Madison. He also served on the Governor's Commission on Human Rights beginning with its establishment in 1947 by Governor Walter Samuel Goodland.
Perlman spent nearly his entire career at UW-Madison. He began teaching in 1919 as an instructor and continued his advancement to become a full professor in 1927 until his retirement in 1959. Following his death, the Wisconsin State Legislature passed a joint resolution praising his contributions to the state, the University and his example of "great tolerance."