AJHS is the oldest ethnic, cultural archive in the United States.
Established in 1892, the American Jewish Historical Society provides access to more than 30 million documents and 50,000 books, photographs, art and artifacts that reflect the history of the Jewish presence in the United States from 1654 to the present.
AHJS Featured Holdings
The Wreckage is a new narrative podcast from the American Jewish Historical Society chronicling the unique stories of Jewish Americans, from the years immediately following World War II through the end of the Cold War.Â
The American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) fosters awareness and appreciation of American Jewish heritage and serves as a center for national scholarly research. Among our archival treasures, exhibitions, and public programs is the handwritten original of Emma Lazarus’ The New Colossus, which graces the Statue of Liberty. We also collect and preserve records of the nation’s leading Jewish communal organizations, and important collections in the fields of education, philanthropy, science, sports, business, and the arts.
We are located within the Center for Jewish History on West 16th street in downtown Manhattan.
Upcoming Events
Join us for an in person discussion with comedian Judy Gold and author Grace Kessler Overbeke. First Lady of Laughs tells the story of Jean Carroll, the first Jewish woman to become a star in the field we now call stand-up comedy. Though rarely mentioned among the pantheon of early stand-up comics such as Henny […]
Julie Salamon (New York Times bestselling author) sits down with writer David Denby to discuss his latest book, Eminent Jews: Bernstein, Brooks, Friedan, Mailer. David Denby is the New York Times bestselling author of Great Books. His other books include American Sucker and Lit Up. He was a film critic for New York magazine and The New Yorker, where he is now a staff […]
Julie Salamon (New York Times bestselling author and journalist ) sits down with author Rachel Cockerell. Rachel’s recent book Melting Point is centered around the Galveston Movement, a long-forgotten project that brought 10,000 Russian Jews to Texas pre-WWI – led by her great-grandfather David Jochelmann. The book is constructed entirely of primary sources, one flowing into […]
Established in 1892, the mission of the American Jewish Historical Society (AJHS) is to foster awareness and appreciation of American Jewish heritage and to serve as a national scholarly resource for research through the collection, preservation and dissemination of materials relating to American Jewish history. At our home on West 16th Street in downtown Manhattan, AJHS illuminates American Jewish history through our many archival treasures, scholarship, exhibitions, and public programs.
