"Lincoln and the Jews": My Recent Visit to the New York Historical Society (Part I)

Last week, I finally made time to visit the New York Historical Society. Have you ever had a moment where you thought, "oh! I want to see that!," but then you never get around to it? That happens to me all of the time and because of this, I tend to miss out on exhibits or films that I want to watch. This time, I was determined NOT to let that happen, so I made sure to visit the New York Historical Society and see the exhibitions that I wanted to see.

I don't know how many of you have been to the New York Historical Society (NYHS), but it is a great museum and a really beautiful building! The NYHS, located next to the American Museum of Natural History, was founded in 1804 as New York's first museum. According to Wikipedia, "the New-York Historical Society presents exhibitions, public programs and research that explore the rich history of New York and the nation. The New-York Historical Society Museum & Library had been at its present location since 1908."

The main foyer of the NYHS

The first exhibition I wanted to see was the "Lincoln and the Jews" exhibit. In fact, this was my priority since it was closing in just a couple of days. I was intrigued by the title because I've never really associated Jews with Abraham Lincoln --- I could tell there was much to learn. 

Walking through the exhibition, my mind was quickly blown. I did not realize that Abraham Lincoln, even before coming president, was a strong advocate of the Jewish people. Moreover, some of his closest friends and confidants were Jews! How interesting! 

This wheel represents all of the Jews that were close to Abraham Lincoln

This flag was specially presented to the president and has Hebrew inscriptions 

The first 1/3 of the exhibit focused on Lincoln's early life and the history of 19th century Anti-Semitism in the United States. The rest of the exhibit continued to discuss 19th century Anti-Semitism, but focused heavily on the Civil War and President Lincoln's assassination. 

An advertisement from a Charleston newspaper announcing the South's succession from the North

I will freely admit, I am not so sharp on my American Civil War history. My area of expertise as a military historian is the Second World War, but I know basic Civil War history. I left this exhibit significantly enlightened and was stunned to learn about just how active Jews were in the Civil War. Perhaps my shock is a reflection of ignorance, but I guess I never really thought of Jews fighting for the Union or the Confederacy. Actually, I don't think I ever even contemplated the religious affiliation of the soldiers who fought, but simply categorized them in terms of geography.

According to HistoryNet, "about 2.75 million soldiers fought in the Civil War --- 2 million for the North and 750,000 for the South." According to the "Lincoln and the Jews" exhibit, of that 2.75 million, approximately 3,000 Jews fought for the Confederacy, whilst more than 7,000 Jews fought for the Union. I was blown away by this figure!

I was also surprised to learn about the rabid Anti-Semitism that ran rampant through both camps. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. I always associate the Civil War with slavery and racism, but I never paused to think of other groups of people who were also discriminated against.

Absolutely love this quote

I think one of the most interesting things I learned at the "Lincoln and the Jews" exhibit was the role that Jews played during the New York City Draft Riots. Gosh, I hadn't thought about the Draft Riots since my 11th grade US history class!

For those who many be unfamiliar with the New York City Draft Riots, here is a brief summary that I have taken from Wikipedia: "The New York City draft riots (July 13-16, 1863)…were violent disturbances in New York City that were the culmination of working-class discontent with new laws passed by Congress that year to draft men to fight in the ongoing American Civil War… Initially intended to express anger at the draft, the protests turned into a race riot, with white rioters, mainly but not exclusively Irish immigrants, attacking blacks wherever they could find them. The official death toll was listed at 119." 

With regards the the legislation that sparked the riots, "in 1863, with the war continuing, Congress passed the Enrollment Act to establish a draft for the first time, as more troops were needed. In New York City and other locations, new citizens learned they were expected to register for the draft to fight for their new country. Black men were excluded format he draft as they were largely not considered citizens, and wealthier white men could pay for substitutes. Free blacks and immigrants competed for low-wage jobs in the city." 

It seems that during the Draft Riots, whilst New York City was in flames and left undefended --- the militia had been sent to Gettysburg --- "Jewish Colonel William Mayer played a heroic role , directing troops day and night, facing down mobs and shepherding black children to safety when their orphanage was torched." Such heroism!

One of the last existing Draft Wheels

Wow! What an excellent exhibition. I learned so much about President Lincoln, the Civil War, 19th century Anti-Semitism in America, and of course, I discovered that LIncoln was a strong ally of the Jews. I really loved this exhibit and I wish it had stayed at the NYHS for longer!