On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, the African and Middle East Division will host a lecture by Professor Laura Arnold Leibman titled “1776: Jews and the American Revolution.” Materials throughout the Library’s divisions tell the story of Jews in the early days of the United States. The Manuscript Division holds correspondence between George Washington and Moses Seixas, which serve as the foundation for the First Amendment’s assertion of religious liberty. The Hebraic Section of the African and Middle East Division holds the first Hebrew Bible printed in the United States in 1814, which has since been used by Jewish members of Congress for their swearing-in ceremonies. Professor Leibman will discuss these artifacts and more during her lecture.