Contributing Institution: Special Collections & University Archives

Title: Donald H. Harrison Collection

Creator: Harrison, Donald H.

Identifier/Call Number: MS.0581

Physical Description: 1 Linear Feet One records carton

Date (inclusive): 1990s-2006

Language of Material: English .

Donald H. Harrison is a San Diego-based journalist and historian. A former political writer for the Associated Press and the San Diego Union, he subsequently became involved in Jewish journalism, serving as an editor of the San Diego Jewish Press Heritage, a columnist with the San Diego Jewish Times, and is now publisher of the online San Diego Jewish World. In the realm of history, Don is a past member of the San Diego Historical Resources Board, is on the advisory boards of Western States Jewish History quarterly and the Journal of San Diego History and was the founding president of the Louis Rose Society for the Preservation of Jewish History, which has erected monuments around the city, including one at Louis Rose Point at the foot of Womble Street. Don is the author of the biography, Louis Rose: San Diego's First Jewish Settler and Entrepreneur. Additionally, for many years, Don was active in tourism promotion. After serving as press secretary to Acting Mayor Bill Cleator, he helped to form the San Diego Cruise Industry Consortium, and served as the executive director of that body for nine years, bringing cruise ships to San Diego. He also helped to found Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego, serving as its first general manager. Don has been married to Nancy since 1968, and they have two children and four grandchildren. After taking a trip in 2014 with his oldest grandson, Shor, then 13, Don wrote the book "Schlepping Through the American West: There's A Jewish Story Everywhere." Other books by Don include 77 Miles of Jewish Stories: History, Anecdotes & Tales of Travel Along I-8; Waxie: An American Family Business Success Story and the two-volume: "Schlepping and Schmoozing Through San Diego County", with part 1 including stories about people and places in the City of San Diego, and Volume 2 on similar subjects in the suburban cities and towns of San Diego County.

This collection includes photos, correspondence, audio tapes, typed and handwritten notes and copies of various documents. Another part of the collection, bound volumes of the "Southwest Jewish Press Heritage" will be donated when the library opens back up after being closed by the COVID19 Pandemic and will be included with other volumes of the publication.

This collection is open for research.

The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine.  Requests for permission to publish must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.

Identification of item, folder title, box number, Donald H. Harrison Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, San Diego State University Library.

Donald H. Harrison donated his collection to the Jewish Historical Society of San Diego in 2020 (JHSSD #2020.01). It includes research materials for a published book entitled "Louis Rose, San Diego's First Jewish Settler and Entrepreneur." Rose came to San Diego in 1850. Also included are research materials on James W. Robinson, Rose's friend and business associate who came to San Diego with Rose in a wagon train from Texas. The collection also includes Jewish community photos by Harrison from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

August 2021

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