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Magic city jews: integration and public memory in birmingham, alabama, 1871-1911

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dc.contributorBauman, Mark K.
dc.contributorGrout, Holly
dc.contributorHuebner, Andrew
dc.contributorRiches, Daniel
dc.contributor.advisorGiggie, John M.
dc.contributor.authorYoung, Melissa Farah
dc.contributor.otherUniversity of Alabama Tuscaloosa
dc.date.accessioned2021-05-12T16:28:31Z
dc.date.available2021-05-12T16:28:31Z
dc.date.issued2020-08
dc.descriptionElectronic Thesis or Dissertationen_US
dc.description.abstractThe numerous books and articles that record the actions of Birmingham’s first Jewish residents generally discuss the actions of these transatlantic and domestic migrants in two ways. They either frame the individuals’ daily interactions in relation to common patterns of American Jewish community building or replicate the commercial tropes and ideals of nineteenth-century Protestant boosters. Neither captures the full diversity of the settlers or the numerous ways they contributed to Birmingham’s early growth and expansion. Using the lives of Jewish men and women who settled in the city between 1872 and 1911, including Herman Simon, Isaac Hochstadter, Emil Lesser, and Bertha Gelders, this dissertation explores the waves of immigration that brought Jewish residents to the town and the various paths that local Jews took to accomplish their professional, political, and religious goals. Like many of their counterparts in other American towns, the Jewish families who came to Birmingham in its first four decades drew from their experiences in other cities to form new connections and integrate into their local community. Although most remained socially and religiously distinct, they defined and practiced Judaism in different ways and possessed a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds. The activities of Birmingham’s most prominent Jewish citizens, however, can also be linked to their extensive networks with many non-Jewish white residents, including skilled laborers, civic-commercial elites, and German immigrants. The role they played in the city and its history was also deeply tied to upper- and middle-class boosters’ conceptions of success, progress, ideal citizenship, and social order. In contrast to other studies, this dissertation compares previous accounts of Jewish settlers to the city’s promotional materials, newspaper articles, and oral testimonies. In so doing, it highlights the work of Orthodox Jews, non-practicing residents, and Jewish women and investigates how local Jews minimized antisemitism through their daily interactions and the active role they played in public memory.en_US
dc.format.extent238 p.
dc.format.mediumelectronic
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.otheru0015_0000001_0003741
dc.identifier.otherYoung_alatus_0004D_14268
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir.ua.edu/handle/123456789/7684
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Alabama Libraries
dc.relation.hasversionborn digital
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Electronic Theses and Dissertations
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Libraries Digital Collections
dc.rightsAll rights reserved by the author unless otherwise indicated.en_US
dc.subjectHistory
dc.subjectAmerican history
dc.subjectJudaic studies
dc.titleMagic city jews: integration and public memory in birmingham, alabama, 1871-1911en_US
dc.typethesis
dc.typetext
etdms.degree.departmentUniversity of Alabama. Department of History
etdms.degree.disciplineHistory
etdms.degree.grantorThe University of Alabama
etdms.degree.leveldoctoral
etdms.degree.namePh.D.

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