Skip to main content

Southern Jewish Historical Society records-Part I

 Collection
Identifier: Mss 1056a

Collection Overview

Part I is the first accession of the Southern Jewish Historical Society records. Records are divided into eleven series. Series #1, Administrative Records, 1978-2000; includes organizational histories; constitution and by-laws, tax-exempt paperwork; presidents' reports; executive board member lists and committee appointments (by year); executive board meeting minutes (1982-2000); general business meeting minutes (1984-1998); committee correspondence and reports; lists of Jewish publications including 1986 booklet, "Articles on American Southern Jewish Experience in the Journals of the American Jewish Historical Society and American Jewish Archives"; color photographs and biographical information about past presidents. Series #2, Correspondence of SJHS Presidents and Executive Board Members; arranged alphabetically by last name and organized chronologically; ; includes correspondence of Janice Blumberg 1981-1991; Solomon Breibart 1977-1994; Henry Green 1988-1995; Sheldon Hanft 1989-1993; Rachel Heimovics 1988-1993; Samuel Proctor 1984-1988; Saul J. Rubin 1978-1984; Beryl H. Weiner 1990-1995. Series #3, Misc. Administrative Correspondence; includes correspondence (1991-1993) to/from Helen Silver, newsletter editor. Series #4, Membership Records, 1979-2000; (arranged chronologically) records contain committee correspondence, membership applications, membership lists and non-renewal lists. Series #5, Financial Records, 1979-1999; (arranged chronologically) reports, committee correspondence, bank/investment statements and invoices/receipts. Series #6, Grants and Essay Award Records, 1986-2000; records contain grant guidelines and advertising material, committee correspondence, grant applications (include detailed project proposals and abstracts.) Series #7, Annual Conference Records, 1978-2002; (arranged chronologically) records include local arrangements, advertising material, brochures and programs, committee correspondence, participant lists, conference paper proposals (most include final papers), financial records, photographs (for several years), and conference questionnaires. Series #8, Jewish Historical Society Newsletter, 1982-2001; arranged chronologically. Series #9, Cassette Tapes of 1992-1996 Annual Conferences (includes several micro-cassette tapes); also micro-cassettes of 1992 conference program meetings; Dr. Arnold Shankman's interviews (1978, 1979) with Mina Surasky Tropp and Esther Surasky Persky; Carrie Teller Pollitzer interview, 1973; VHS tapes of "Smile" by Mya Akerling, "The Righteous Remnant" (1997) and "Four Little Girls" by Michelle Forman. Series #10, Jewish Interest Material (most from southern states); arranged by state; sub-series include synagogues, news clippings, publications and programs. Series #11, Robert Persky Papers, 1930s-1980; prominent Augusta, Georgia politician and Jewish activist; sub-series include personal papers, membership cards, photographs, news clippings re. Perksy's life and work, correspondence (1940s-1980s) to/from Persky, information pertaining to his involvement with the Zionist Organization of America (1940s-1960s), and misc. material related to the Jewish community of Augusta, GA.

Dates

  • 1978-2002
  • Majority of material found within 1985-1994

Creator

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Copyright Notice

The nature of the College of Charleston's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. Special Collections claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.

Biographical Note

In October 1976 a conference on Southern Jewish History was held in Richmond, Virginia. The gathering inspired participants to reorganize the Southern Jewish Historical Society (SJHS), dormant since the 1950s. After a year of planning, the Society was officially re-established in April 1977. With a mission to collect, preserve, exhibit, publish and popularize materials referring to the history and life of Jews in the South, the Society has held annual meetings, published newsletters and books and funded projects on Southern Jewish history.

The Southern Jewish Historical Society Archives were established to collect non-current materials that document actions taken by SJHS to record the Jewish experience in the American South, promote research and identify the contributions of individuals and institutions.

Extent

15 linear feet

Language of Materials

English

Acquisitions Information

Materials donated by Berkley Kalin as representative for the SJHS.

Related Material

Related collections at the College of Charleston Special Collections include the Southern Jewish Historical Society records (Mss 1056b) and issues of the SJHS journal Southern Jewish History.

Title
Inventory of the Southern Jewish Historical Society Records-Part I, 1978-2002 (bulk 1985-1994)
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by: Special Collections staff; finding aid created by: Special Collections staff
Description rules
Dacs
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Special Collections
College of Charleston Libraries
66 George Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424
(843) 953-8016
(843) 953-6319 (Fax)