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Perlin Family Foundation Preservation & Digitization Suite • Ben May Reference Library & Reading Room • Joanne B. Fried Archival Vault • Ivan M. Sherman, MD Oral History & Distance Learning Studio
Chapman Family
Research Center
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The Chapman Family Research Center is an incredible hands-on resource for researchers, family historians, Museum Members and visitors who are doing the important work of exploring and preserving Southern Jewish history. With an emphasis on the connections between Jewish families across the South, the Center brings a distinctly Southern flavor to “Jewish Geography.” This Center extends the Museum’s mission of encouraging new understanding and appreciation for identity, diversity, and acceptance, and expanding our appreciation for the American experience.
Made possible through the generosity of Dave and Amy Chapman Fulton, the center honors Amy's Southern Jewish ancestors, many of whom made their home in Shreveport and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Says Amy, "My cousins and I would not be the people we are today without the example they set with their love of family and close ties to Judaism.”
Collections
MSJE's collection includes more than 5,000 items, ranging from Judaica to photographs to letters. including Judaica, household items, business records, photographs, letters, and other ephemera.
Some proportion of these items are on display at any given time. Online, you can browse a small selection of our full collection.
Reference Library and Reading Room
The Ben May Reference Library and Reading Room is the heart of the Southern Jewish Family Research Center and serves as a repository for the materials donated to our growing research collection, including published works, Southern and Jewish reference materials, and most importantly, individual family histories, genealogies, and community histories.
Oral Histories
In the Ivan M. Sherman, MD, Oral History Studio we record people’s oral histories, preserving the precious living memories of the Southern Jewish experience. This space also serves as our Distance Learning studio, where we can videoconference these stories and others directly into classrooms across the country.
