Shapell Manuscript Foundation
In 1985, Benjamin Shapell established the Shapell Manuscript Foundation as a non-profit independent educational organization. The group dedicated itself to researching and collecting historical documents related to American history and Holy Land history. Their focus centers on people and events from the 19th and 20th centuries. This mission drives every acquisition and research project undertaken by the foundation today. They operate administrative offices in both the United States and Israel to support their global scope.
Simon Wolf published The American Jew as Soldier, Patriot and Citizen in 1895 with an early roster of Jewish Civil War soldiers. The Shapell Manuscript Foundation now uses modern research tools to expand and correct that almost 120-year-old list. As part of the Civil War Sesquicentennial Celebration, they prepared a new roster using primary source documentation like letters and photographs. The Union section of The Shapell Roster became public and was published online in 2022. Confederate data is expected to be released by 2025 for full completion of the project.
The private collection holds signed documents, photographs, and rare books from figures such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Albert Einstein. Exceptional letters written by John F. Kennedy also reside within these holdings alongside items from the Civil War era. Mark Twain appears frequently among the many noteworthy items collected over decades. These artifacts form a rich archive of American and Jewish history preserved for future study. Researchers access these materials through the foundation's expanding digitized selection on their website.
SMF loaned items to the Library of Congress for the traveling exhibition With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition. That show toured from February 2009 until April 2011 and included letters written by Lincoln and signed portraits. From December 2010 to March 2013 SMF collaborated on the joint exhibition at the National Library of Israel titled Dreamland: American Travelers to the Holy Land in the 19th Century. A sequel called Dreams and Diplomacy in the Holy Land opened in March 2013 and closed March 2016. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History exhibited several documents on loan during Changing America held from December 2012 until September 2013.
The Shapell Manuscript Foundation publishes original historical research books like Lincoln and the Jews: A History co-authored by Professor Jonathan D. Sarna. Their online database continuously expands its offerings of primary source documents as the digitization process continues. Films such as Jewish Soldiers in Blue and Gray released in 2011 present stories through Indigo Films Production. Other video projects include Lincoln's Last Days and Mark Twain and other American Travelers to the Holy Land in the 19th Century. These digital archives make rare manuscripts available for public viewing and research worldwide.
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Common questions
When was the Shapell Manuscript Foundation established?
Benjamin Shapell established the Shapell Manuscript Foundation in 1985 as a non-profit independent educational organization. The group dedicated itself to researching and collecting historical documents related to American history and Holy Land history.
What is the publication date of the Union section of The Shapell Roster?
The Union section of The Shapell Roster became public and was published online in 2022. Confederate data is expected to be released by 2025 for full completion of the project.
Which famous figures are included in the private collection of the Shapell Manuscript Foundation?
The private collection holds signed documents, photographs, and rare books from figures such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, and Mark Twain. These artifacts form a rich archive of American and Jewish history preserved for future study.
When did the With Malice Toward None exhibition featuring Shapell Manuscript Foundation items run at the Library of Congress?
That show toured from February 2009 until April 2011 and included letters written by Lincoln and signed portraits. SMF loaned these items to the Library of Congress for the traveling exhibition With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition.
Who co-authored the book Lincoln and the Jews published by the Shapell Manuscript Foundation?
Professor Jonathan D. Sarna co-authored the historical research book titled Lincoln and the Jews: A History with the foundation. This publication represents one of several original historical research books produced by the organization.