Ellis Island Timeline Stories

1935

Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley

In August 1935, a small group of men gathered on a porch in Maine to discuss a bold plan: leaving the prestigious J.P. Morgan & Co. to establish a new bank, code-named the XYZ Corporation. By meeting’s end, they determined that Harold Stanley would serve as president and Henry Morgan as treasurer and secretary, and the company would take their names.

Founding Morgan Stanley required conviction and a willingness to embrace a new future—principles which have remained fundamental to the Firm to this day.

A black and white photo of two men standing outdoors in front of a wooden building. Stanley, left, wears a light coat and misshapen hat, while Morgan wears a sweater and felt hat.
A black and white photo of the side profile of a light-skinned, older man with light-colored hair in a formal suit, set against a dark background. A sepia-toned vintage announcement card from Morgan Stanley & Co. about the opening of their office at 2 Wall Street, New York, dated September 16, 1935. A black and white side profile of a light-skinned man in a pinstripe suit reading a piece of paper while seated at a desk cluttered with documents.
A circular seal depicting silhouetted children with raised arms against the Statue of Liberty, encircled in red. Text around the border reads, "UNITED STATES COMMITTEE FOR THE CARE OF EUROPEAN CHILDREN, INC."

As World War II spread across Europe, Harold Stanley led the 1940 New York State campaign to provide relief to young war refugees, raising $1.5 million (nearly $28 million today) for the United States Committee for the Care of European Children.

The Committee was able to evacuate approximately 300 children, ultimately placing them with foster families in the US.

A black and white photo of Harold Stanley joyfully ringing a handheld bell, surrounded by a group of smiling children, in front of a building.

Harold Stanley’s legacy of giving back and leading with integrity set the standard for how Morgan Stanley engages in communities.

Morgan Stanley volunteers working together at a community event. People handle cardboard boxes and wear navy blue T-shirts that read, “Volunteer. Give Back. Morgan Stanley.”

Today, Morgan Stanley is proud to support the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration and the stories it preserves of the countless individuals who have helped build this nation.

Black and white early 20th-century photo taken above a large group of various immigrants on Ellis Island carrying luggage as they depart from a brick building with arched windows. The Ellis Island Museum’s Main Building on a sunny day with copper-domed towers, trees, and an American flag on a flagpole in front.