Ben Selling was a businessman, philanthropist, civil rights advocate, and politician Portland

Portland, Oregon

Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

, Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. He was a noted leader in the Jewish

Judaism

Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...

 community, and he owned a clothing store in downtown Portland

Downtown Portland

Downtown Portland, the city center of Portland, Oregon, United States, is located on the west bank of the Willamette River. It is in the northeastern corner of the southwest section of the city and is where most of the city's high-rise buildings are found....

.

Selling arrived in Portland with his family in circa 1862. He started with a boot and shoe business, then a clothing store. He was regarded as "the outstanding Jewish leader in Portland", receiving the first First Citizen Award from the Portland Realty Board in 1928. MacColl remarked the choice of Selling was ironic because he "possessed none of the acquisitive instincts ... associated with the realty trade." He also organized kitchens for the unemployed during the Panic of 1893

Panic of 1893

The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...

 and Panic of 1907

Panic of 1907

The Panic of 1907, also known as the 1907 Bankers' Panic, was a financial crisis that occurred in the United States when the New York Stock Exchange fell almost 50% from its peak the previous year. Panic occurred, as this was during a time of economic recession, and there were numerous runs on...

, serving over 450,000 meals. He heavily supported the Armenian Relief Society

Armenian Relief Society

The Armenian Relief Society, A.R.S or H.O.M , is an independent, non-governmental and non-sectarian organization and NGO, serving the social and educational needs of Armenian communities everywhere, seeking to preserve the cultural identity of the Armenian nation, and, whenever and wherever the...

, bought $400,000 in Liberty Bonds during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, and supported the Waverly Baby Home and Jewish Neighborhood House, both in Portland. MacColl also stated "Suffice it to say, Ben Selling probably gave away more money in proportion to his income than any Oregon citizen since the state was founded."

He served on the Port of Portland Commission, then on the Portland Dock Commission. After being elected to the Oregon State Senate

Oregon State Senate

The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...

 in 1910, he served as President of the Senate for one session in 1911. He was also Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives

Oregon House of Representatives

The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....

 for one session, 1915. He ran for the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 in 1912, losing by a few hundred votes to Harry Lane

Harry Lane

Harry Lane was an American physician and politician in the state of Oregon. A native of the state, he worked as the head of the state insane asylum before entering local politics and served as mayor of Portland...

.

After he died in 1931, four of his 40 employees sued his estate, saying he had promised the business to them. Their claims were rejected, as Selling was known for being honest and writing everything down.

External links

• Selling Building, article from the Jewish Review
• Article from Business Journal on building renaming
• Ben Selling scholarship