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 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
Julie Salamon, New York Times best-selling author and journalist, sits down with author and psychiatrist Michelle Friedman to discuss her career and recent book Divine Corners. Michelle Friedman is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and teacher whose life and work explore the art of listening and the resilience of the human spirit. Raised on a chicken farm […]
Please join the American Jewish Historical Society, the Center for Jewish History, and Yeshiva University Museum for the opening celebration of All We Have Standing Between Us: 250 Years of Jews and American Democracy. Opening in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, All We Have Standing Between Us explores 250 years […]
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.