Presentation Title
From Assimilated to Outstandingly Jewish: Displaying American Jewry at the Chicago World’s Fairs of 1893 and 1933
Abstract
This paper examines how American Jews displayed themselves at Chicago’s World’s Fairs in 1893 and 1933. It argues that in both instances American Jewry utilized the prominent platform of the fairs to condemn persecution of European Jews and the growth of antisemitism by asserting their Americanness. During the Columbian Exposition of 1893, well-established American Jews, led by Reform leaders, subtly exhibited themselves as acculturated and integral to the American narrative in order to downplay the foreignness of new Eastern European immigrants. During the Century of Progress in 1933, American Jews, led by cultural Zionists, exhibited themselves as a strong and distinctive group in an overt fight against Nazism. Both of these fairs offer a window into the changing face of American Judaism, revealing how Jewish identity reflected the shifting circumstances of persecution and antisemitism.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Nicole Phelps
Status
Graduate
Student College
Graduate College
Second Student College
College of Arts and Sciences
Program/Major
History
Second Program/Major
History
Primary Research Category
Arts & Humanities
From Assimilated to Outstandingly Jewish: Displaying American Jewry at the Chicago World’s Fairs of 1893 and 1933
This paper examines how American Jews displayed themselves at Chicago’s World’s Fairs in 1893 and 1933. It argues that in both instances American Jewry utilized the prominent platform of the fairs to condemn persecution of European Jews and the growth of antisemitism by asserting their Americanness. During the Columbian Exposition of 1893, well-established American Jews, led by Reform leaders, subtly exhibited themselves as acculturated and integral to the American narrative in order to downplay the foreignness of new Eastern European immigrants. During the Century of Progress in 1933, American Jews, led by cultural Zionists, exhibited themselves as a strong and distinctive group in an overt fight against Nazism. Both of these fairs offer a window into the changing face of American Judaism, revealing how Jewish identity reflected the shifting circumstances of persecution and antisemitism.