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Seeking Justice: The Story of an American Lynching at New York's Museum of Jewish Heritage

In 1915, Leo Frank, a New York-raised Jewish factory manager in Atlanta, Georgia, was tried and lynched for the murder of 13-year old Mary Phagan of Georgia, despite evidence that pointed to another perpetrator. Frank was the only Jewish person in American history to be lynched. The brand-new exhibition Seeking Justice: The Leo Frank Case Revisited, opening at the Museum of Jewish HeritageA Living Memorial to the Holocaust in downtown Manhattan, explores the momentous and tragic events surrounding the case, which has sparked a century of debate. Seeking Justice brings new insights to the events that led up to these killings, as well as the granting of a posthumous pardon for Leo Frank in 1986.

Leo Frank

A photo of Leo Frank at his family's Brooklyn home in 1902. Photo courtesy of the Cuba Family Archives for Southern Jewish History at The Breman Museum.

Set against the backdrop of the American South, Seeking Justice examines racial, religious, regional, and class prejudices in the early 20th century. The case, which shook the nation, galvanized the Anti-Defamation League and revived the Ku Klux Klan. (It also inspired a 1998 Broadway musical, Parade, that won a Tony.) The exhibition represents more than 20 years of research and collecting of archival materials, originated by The William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum in Atlanta.

“Leo Frank’s story is important, not only for Jews, but for everyone who is interested in the fight for social justice,” said Bruce C. Ratner, Chairman of the Museum of Jewish HeritageA Living Memorial to the Holocaust. “We admire The Breman for presenting the story in its historical context, and we are proud to be able to present it to an audience that is not as familiar with the case.” 

New York's Museum of Jewish HeritageA Living Memorial to the Holocaust honors those who died in the Shoah by celebrating their lives, cherishing the traditions that they embraced, examining their achievements and faith, and affirming the vibrant worldwide Jewish community that is their legacy today. Although the museum centers on life before, during, and after the Holocaust, the obligation to remember is enriched and enhanced by a commitment to the principles of social justice, education, and culture. The Museum's three-floor Core Exhibition educates people of all ages and backgrounds about the rich tapestry of Jewish life over the past century.

Seeking Justice: The Leo Frank Case Revisited has been extended and will remain on display through winter, 2017. Tours for groups of 10 people or more require advance reservations and can be arranged by contacting 646-437-4304, or emailing groupvisits@mjhnyc.org. For more information, visit mjhnyc.org.

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