Morris Michtom

Morris Michtom — inventor with roots in the Russian Empire

Morris Michtom was a Russian-born American entrepreneur who invented the Teddy Bear in 1902 — named after President Theodore Roosevelt — and founded the Ideal Toy Company, which became one of America's largest toy manufacturers. His simple innovation created a global industry and one of childhood's most universal companions.

Tracing the roots — Russian Empire

Born in Russia and emigrating to the United States, Michtom set up a small novelty shop in Brooklyn where he and his wife Rose created the first stuffed bear after seeing a newspaper cartoon of Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear. The Teddy Bear — born from Russian immigrant hands in Brooklyn — became one of the most universally loved objects in human history.

A career defined by ambition