Welcome to the
SHAPELL MANUSCRIPT FOUNDATION
Explore History
The Collection
603 primary source manuscripts
Releasing thousands of manuscripts as the digitization process continues; sharing stories from the human aspect of history.
Abraham Lincoln on the Campaign Trail, 1860
"...the skies look bright. What clouds may hereafter rise, we know not."
Albert Einstein on the Holocaust
"...bestially murdered my than half of my Jewish brethren..."
From the Gettysburg Battlefield, July 4, 1863
"We are confident of victory....I hope this Battle will end the war."
JFK on the Partition of Palestine and Balfour Declaration
"...Presidents & Congress have 'reaffirmed' the solemn promise..."
Theodore Roosevelt on self-sacrifice and his sons in WWI
“...at times it seems almost more than I can bear..."
Historical Perspectives
The Stories Behind the History
Discover the personal motivations and untold intrigues behind the stories that have shaped history.
With Firmness in the Right: Lincoln and the Jews
Lincoln's surprisingly prolific relationships with Jewish citizens
The Anniversary of the First Zionist Congress
"I am convinced to the depth of my soul" - Theodor Herzl
Presidential Military Service
How important is military service for the Commander in Chief?
Abraham Lincoln's Connections
Charting Lincoln's interpersonal relationships with the Jewish community
Featured Story
“And This Too Shall Pass Away – Never Fear.”
At an even more fraught and divisive moment in our past, Abraham Lincoln, too, lost an epic contest – and so 160 years ago wrote this letter whose final words are once more worth heeding.
Day In History
December 17
Grover Cleveland, recovering from secret cancer surgery, reports he is "getting to be quite a drunkard." Photo Credit: U.S. Library of Congress. Discover more on Day in History.
Coming Soon
The Shapell Roster of Jewish Civil War Soldiers - 2019
A microcosm of the American story, the Civil War was a crucible for the Jewish community. The Shapell Roster and its accompanying research exemplify the experiences of that period and illuminate the social, political, and religious struggles of the time.
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