Lithuanian numismatist, philatelist, ethnographer, curator, artist, cartoonist, and physician. Dr. Rackus was a major supporter of Lithuanian independence who promoted Lithuania's cause for nearly 50 years. Coming to the U.S. in 1910, he gained his medical degree in 1922. Dr. Rackus amassed a huge Lithuanian numismatic and ethnographic collection consisting of thousands of items (the largest in the world, over 80,000 units) which was purchased by the Lithuanian government in 1936. He served as curator of the Historical section of the Museum of Culture in Kaunas 1936-38, and was the physician for the U.S. diplomatic Legation there. Following WWII he returned to the U.S. where he again organized a vast Lithuanian cultural collection that was taken over by the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture upon his death in 1965. He was the author of numerous newspaper and magazine articles which were published in the U.S., Canada, and in Lithuania. He was editor of the philatelic magazine "Specialist" and curator of the Lituanistic Museum in Chicago. He also was a political cartoonist whose anti-Soviet cartoons and philatelic covers were well known in both the collecting and Lithuanian communities around the world. As an artist, his illustrated Christmas cards were very popular during the 1950s. He was the author of two books, "Guthones, Kinsmen of the Lithuanian People (1929)," and "Cyclopedia of Lithuanian Numismatics (1965)." He was active in the American Numismatic Association and wrote several articles in its publication, "The Numismatist." For his contributions to Lithuanian culture, the Lithuanian government awarded him the prestigious Order of Vytautas the Great.
Lithuanian numismatist, philatelist, ethnographer, curator, artist, cartoonist, and physician. Dr. Rackus was a major supporter of Lithuanian independence who promoted Lithuania's cause for nearly 50 years. Coming to the U.S. in 1910, he gained his medical degree in 1922. Dr. Rackus amassed a huge Lithuanian numismatic and ethnographic collection consisting of thousands of items (the largest in the world, over 80,000 units) which was purchased by the Lithuanian government in 1936. He served as curator of the Historical section of the Museum of Culture in Kaunas 1936-38, and was the physician for the U.S. diplomatic Legation there. Following WWII he returned to the U.S. where he again organized a vast Lithuanian cultural collection that was taken over by the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture upon his death in 1965. He was the author of numerous newspaper and magazine articles which were published in the U.S., Canada, and in Lithuania. He was editor of the philatelic magazine "Specialist" and curator of the Lituanistic Museum in Chicago. He also was a political cartoonist whose anti-Soviet cartoons and philatelic covers were well known in both the collecting and Lithuanian communities around the world. As an artist, his illustrated Christmas cards were very popular during the 1950s. He was the author of two books, "Guthones, Kinsmen of the Lithuanian People (1929)," and "Cyclopedia of Lithuanian Numismatics (1965)." He was active in the American Numismatic Association and wrote several articles in its publication, "The Numismatist." For his contributions to Lithuanian culture, the Lithuanian government awarded him the prestigious Order of Vytautas the Great.
Bio by: Frank Passic, Albion Historian
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