Mission
SEE SCHEDULE O - THE AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY (THE "SOCIETY") IS THE OLDEST ETHNIC, CULTURAL ARCHIVE IN THE UNITED STATES. THE 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. AT OUR HOME ON WEST 16 TH STREET IN DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN, THE SOCIETY ILLUMINATES AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY THROUGH OUR MANY ARCHIVAL TREASURES, SCHOLARSHIP, EXHIBITIONS AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS. AMONG THE TREASURES OF THIS HERITAGE ARE THE HANDWRITTEN ORIGINALS OF EMMA LAZARUS' THE NEW COLOSSUS, WHICH GRACES THE STATUE OF LIBERTY RECORDS OF THE NATION'S LEADING JEWISH COMMUNAL ORGANIZATIONS AND IMPORTANT COLLECTIONS IN THE FIELDS OF EDUCATION, PHILANTHROPY, SCIENCE, SPORTS, BUSINESS AND THE ARTS. THE SOCIETY IS THE FUTURE OF THE AMERICAN JEWISH PAST.