Arthur Sackler was born in 1913 in Brooklyn, surrounded by immigrants who came to the United States for a better life. His birth name was Abraham, and his family had also migrated from other countries. Arthur’s father, Isaac, was from Austrian Galicia. When he came to Brooklyn, he opened a small grocery store with his brother called Sackler Bros. Arthur’s mother, a kind Polish woman, was named Sofia.

A year after Arthur’s birth, the Sacklers had their second son, Mortimer, and four years later, their third, Raymond. Arthur always protected his younger brothers and had a deep bond with them. Over time, the Sackler Bros store began to bring a steady income, which allowed the family to move to Flatbush, with more prospects to develop their business. Isaac Sackler realized that although he had achieved a lot in his life, Arthur could achieve more success and make their family famous all over the world.

Arthur knew his family had high expectations and wanted his parents to be proud of him. At the age of twelve, he completed a program for bright children and got a chance to study at Erasmus Hall High School, one of the largest schools in the country. This educational institution adopted a new approach to teaching, fostering wide mobility among students. Arthur’s parents were sincerely interested in their son’s studies and encouraged him to be proactive and ask interesting questions of the teachers.

While still at school, Arthur worked for the school newspaper, distributing advertisements and earning a small commission. Later, he and his friends managed to organize their own business of taking pictures for graduation albums. In 1929, the Great Depression began in the United States, which hit the family’s financial situation hard. All of Isaac Sackler’s investments either failed or lost value, forcing him to close his business.

He gathered his three sons together and told them that he and their mother wanted to provide them with the best possible education and future. However, the family had no savings and would not be able to pay for their university education, so the sons would have to do it on their own. In the end, Isaac added, “I have given you something more valuable than money, and that is a good name.”