Jacob Samuel Potofsky (November 26, 1894 – August 5, 1979) was a Russian-born American trade unionist, best known as second president of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, succeeding founder Sidney Hillman.

[1] Jacob Samual Potofsky was born on November 26, 1894, in the Teteriv River town of Radomisl, Russian Empire (now Radomyshl, Ukraine).

In 1941, he strongly opposed the isolationist policy of John L. Lewis, president of the CIO and also the United Mine Workers (UMW).

[citation needed] Potofsky married twice, first to Callie Taylor (who died in 1946) and then to widow Blance Lydia Zetland; they had two daughters and a son.

In his case, it was organizing workers to form unions, to bargain collectively, and to make group decisions for the common good.