Reframing the Narrative of American Antisemitism

This study challenges the myth of American Jewish exceptionalism by showing that antisemitism, though less visible than in Europe, was a persistent and evolving force in the United States before and after the Holocaust. It argues that American antisemitism has been marginalized in historical narratives and uncovers its systemic roots in social, political, and institutional life. Addressing this gap, the work employs a multidisciplinary approach using archival records, legal cases, media accounts, and historiographical analysis. Through case studies such as the Leo Frank affair, interwar nativism, and postwar exclusion, it traces how antisemitic attitudes adapted within early twentieth-century American culture and institutions. Findings demonstrate ideological and structural continuities with European patterns. By reframing antisemitism as central to American history, the book offers a critical reexamination that illuminates enduring exclusionary ideologies while challenging conventional views of Jewish experiences and marginalization, informing efforts toward equity and inclusion.