Lehman Brothers Timeline
1844
Henry Lehman emigrates from Rimpar, Germany, and settles in Montgomery, Alabama, where he opens a general store specializing in dry goods.
1847 to 1850
Henry Lehman is joined by his brothers Emanuel and Mayer, and their establishment becomes Lehman Brothers.
1858
Lehman Brothers transitions into the cotton commodity business and opens a branch in New York City.
1861 to 1865
The Civil War causes devastation to the Southern economy and cotton trade.
1870
Lehman Brothers helps found the New York Cotton Exchange.
1887
Lehman Brothers becomes a member of the New York Stock Exchange.
1899
Lehman Brothers takes on investment banking activities, issuing its first public offering for the International Steam Pump Company.
1901 to 1925
Philip Lehman serves as head of Lehman Brothers.
1913
The Federal Reserve Bank is established in response to the financial panic of 1907.
1925 to 1969
Robert Lehman takes over leadership of Lehman Brothers.
1929
Lehman Brothers forms the Lehman Corporation, a closed-end investment company.
1929 to 1933
The stock market crashes in late October 1929 contributing to the Great Depression and global economic collapse.
1933
Congress passes the Glass-Steagall Act separating commercial banks from investment banks.
1934
Congress establishes the Securities Exchange Commission regulating the securities industry.
1950
The postwar economic boom contributes to a rise in investment banking activities.
1958
Lehman Brothers established the One William Street Fund, a mutual fund of diversified holdings.
1969
Robert Lehman, the last family member to head Lehman Brothers, dies.
1969 to 1973
Frederick Ehrman takes over management of Lehman Brothers.
1973 to 1983
Peter Peterson serves as CEO of Lehman Brothers.
1973
The Oil crisis brings about a significant price increase in oil and a weakening economy.
1977
Lehman Brothers merges with Kuhn, Loeb & Co. The firm expands its global operations and business in mergers and acquisitions.
1983 to 1984
Lew Glucksman is CEO of Lehman Brothers.
1984
Shearson Division of American Express acquires Lehman Brothers.
October 19,1987
Global financial markets plunge on Black Monday.
1994
Lehman Brothers is spun off from American Express into Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc. Richard Fuld becomes CEO.
1999
Financial Services Modernization Act repeals the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act that separated commercial from investment banks.
2001
Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11 affect global markets.
2002
Lehman relocates its operations from its Wall Street location to Midtown Manhattan.
2003 to 2004
Lehman Brothers buys five mortgage lenders and becomes heavily invested in mortgage-backed securities.
2007
The financial crisis begins to unfold with the sale of two Bear Stearns hedge funds in mortgage-backed securities.
September 15,2008
Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy.
September 16,2008
Barclays agrees to buy Lehman Brothers' U.S. operations.
September 22,2008
Nomura agrees to acquire Lehman Brothers' Asian and European operations.
2008 to 2009
Continuing impact of the financial crisis causes economic decline in national and global markets that leads to the Great Recession.