Toll, Herman, 1907-1967

Herman Toll (March 15, 1907 – July 26, 1967) was a Russian-born American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he notably served as the U.S. Representative from, Pennsylvania's 6th (1959-1963) and 4th (1963-1967) congressional districts.

Born in Bohuslav in the Russian Empire (now part of Ukraine), Toll immigrated with his family to the United States around 1910. He graduated from Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania without a college degree and started practicing law in Philadelphia in 1930. Toll was a member of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, Philadelphia Housing Association, B'nai B'rith and the board of directors of the Crusader Savings & Loan Association. In 1950 he was elected to the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, where he served as vice chairman of the Judiciary Committee and helped secure passage of the first Fair Employment Practices law in the state. He was re-elected in 1952, 1954 and 1956.

Toll was elected in 1958 as a Democrat to the United States Congress, becoming the first Jewish representative of the sixth Congressional district of Pennsylvania. He was re-elected three times—the final two times to represent the fourth Congressional district—and served until shortly before his death in 1967. In his first term he was named a member of the House Judiciary Committee as well as of its Subcommittee on Immigration and Nationality. A supporter of civil rights during his time in Congress, Rep. Toll exchanged at least one letter with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In his February 19, 1964 reply to Dr. King, Toll promised that he will "continue to work for the strongest possible Civil Rights legislation at the earliest possible date." Toward the end of his third term, Toll was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Unable to campaign aggressively, he nevertheless easily won a fourth term; due to illness he would serve in absentia without making an appearance in the House. He was not a candidate for re-election in 1966.

Toll died in Philadelphia shortly after leaving office and was interred in Roosevelt Memorial Park in Trevose, Pennsylvania.