About the Shapell Manuscript Foundation

The Foundation’s focus encompasses unique themes in American history and the Holy Land, with emphasis on the 19th and 20th centuries. Its extensive holdings include manuscripts and items from American presidents, most notably a large collection of Abraham Lincoln manuscripts; Mark Twain; Jewish soldiers in the Civil War; Albert Einstein; Theodor Herzl and early Zionism; as well as diverse subjects including Custer and the Little Big Horn. The manuscripts bring out aspects of the human side of history, including moments of dramatic irony and the fragility of the human condition.

A passion over 40 years in the making, Benjamin Shapell began collecting signed presidential manuscripts in the 1970s. This carefully curated collection has grown to include thousands of letters and documents relating to historic figures and world events, spanning as far back as the late 1700s and all the way to the end of the 20th century. With a devotion to educating the public and showcasing primary source materials, the Foundation digitizes and publishes original manuscripts, as well as producing groundbreaking research, books, articles, exhibitions, documentary films and videos, available online at our website.

The Foundation has partnered with both private and governmental institutions, such as the New-York Historical Society, the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, the U.S. National Archives, the Morgan Library and Museum, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, the Oregon Historical Society, the National Library of Israel, and various presidential and private libraries.