Name: Samuel Rapport d. 1/30/1927

Family:

Samuel Rapport was an optician in Durham, starting in 1897. He served as a bridge to the larger Durham community. In 1902, for example, he was one of the charter members of the city's Chamber of Commerce. He traveled throughout North Carolina. In 1904, he was elected secretary of the Optical Society of North Carolina.

According to Jewish historian Leonard Rogoff, Rapport was one of eight Jews who joined 100 "prominent citizens" in signing nominating petitions for the Board of Aldermen. He also translated for the local newspaper when a Yiddish speaker was being interviewed.