Lazarus, Emma, 1849-1887

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Born on July 22, 1849 in New York City, Emma Lazarus was the fourth of seven surviving children to Sephardic-Ashkenazi parents Moses and Esther (Nathan) Lazarus. Lazarus was most likely privately tutored; she was proficient in German, French, and Italian. Her Jewish education consisted of knowledge of the Bible and observing a form of Sabbath and holidays, but as one of Lazarus’ associates said “the religious side of Judaism had little interest for Miss Lazarus, or for any member of her family.”

Lazarus began composing poetry inspired by classical themes in her teen years. In 1867, her father published her first book: Poems and Translations, Written between the Ages of Fourteen and Sixteen. By 1877, Lazarus was pursuing a career as a “lady magazine poet,” contributing poetry to Lippincott Magazine and Independent among others, as well as publishing a collection of poetry (Admetus and Other Poems,which includes a title poem dedicated to her correspondent, critic and advisor Ralph Waldo Emerson); an historical tragedy set in Italy in 1655 (The Spagnoletto); and a novel (Alide, An Episode of Goethe’s Life).

As the pogroms in Russia entered public awareness, Lazarus became highly involved in her personal and professional life in combating anti-Semitic persecution. In 1880, she wrote two dramatic representations of Rashi’s life entitled “Raschi in Prague” and “Death of Raschi.” She began visiting Eastern European immigrants on Ward’s island in 1881, and became involved in efforts to create the Hebrew Technical Institute and agricultural communities for Jewish immigrants. Between 1882 and 1884, Lazarus published twenty-two essays and two editorials concerning Zionism, religious life and anti-Semitism in America. Songs of a Semite, a collection of poems and translations focusing on the above themes and previously printed in the American Hebrew and Jewish Messenger was published in 1882. A series of fourteen essays printed in 1882-1883 in The American Hebrew entitled “Epistles to the Hebrews” was posthumously published in 1900 as a book by the Federation of American Zionists. The essays outlined her Zionist ideas and plans that entailed Jewish centers in both the United States and Palestine. Lazarus' single experimentation in free verse is recorded in a series of poems entitled “By the Waters of Babylon,” written in 1883 and published in 1887. Lazarus's most famous work "The New Colossus," was created for an 1883 auction to help fund the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty (the U.S. Congress agreed to erect the statue, but not to build the pedestal). Before she completed “The New Colossus,” Lazarus worked on one less successful poem which contained similar themes and images, particularly “Gifts.” Despite the fact that the poem was read aloud at the December 3, 1883 auction, when the statue was installed and dedicated on October 28, 1886, no mention was made of the poem. In 1903, 20 years after the poem was written, Emma Lazarus's friends successfully led a campaign to have it engraved on the pedestal.

In 1883, before she wrote “The New Colossus” and “By the Waters of Babylon,” Lazarus fulfilled a long cherished dream and visited England. She met several significant people, including Robert Browning and William Morris. In August 1884, the first signs of Lazarus’ illness appeared. Her father’s death in 1885 greatly devastated her, and Lazarus again sailed to Europe to recover. She stayed in Europe for two years, visiting Holland, France, Italy. She wrote only two poems during her stay. She returned to New York on July 31, 1887 seriously ill with cancer. Lazarus passed away on November 19, 1887 and was buried in the family plot in Congregation Shearith Israel’s cemetery. She was 38 years old. Her death was memorialized in several sonnets and letters published in literary magazines. The American Hebrew published a memorial issue on December 9, 1887. The Poems of Emma Lazarus, a two-volume selection of poems and translations compiled by her sisters, was published in 1889.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Lazarus, Emma, 1849-1887. Autograph letter signed Emma Lazarus to: "My dear Wm. Bultra" Wellesley College
referencedIn William James correspondence, 1856-1910. Houghton Library
creatorOf Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834. Autograph file, L, 1641-1976. Houghton Library
referencedIn Philip Cowen Papers, undated, 1873-1935 American Jewish Historical Society
creatorOf Willian, Ruth. Mädchen mit dem roten Mündchen = Maiden with the lips of scarlet / [words by] Heine ; [English translation by] Lazarus ; [music by] Ruth Willian. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Woodberry Poetry Room (Harvard College Library) poetry readings, 1931- (ongoing). Woodberry Poetry Room, Houghton Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University
creatorOf Emma Lazarus, papers, undated, 1876-1877, 1880-1882, 1884, 1887-1888, 1904-1905, 1934, 1987 American Jewish Historical Society
creatorOf Lazarus, Emma, 1849-1887. Tommas Salvini [manuscript], ca. 1881 / by Emma Lazarus. Folger Shakespeare Library
referencedIn Lowell, James Russell, 1819-1891. Additional papers, 1767-1898. Houghton Library
referencedIn Autograph File, L, 1641-1976. Houghton Library
creatorOf Deland, Margaret Wade Campbell, 1857-1945. Papers : of Margaret Wade Campbell Deland, 1888-1945. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Records of the U.S. Information Agency. 1900 - 2003. Sound Recordings Relating to "Studio One" Broadcasts. 1955 - 2003. Emma Lazarus National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Emma Lazarus, papers, undated, 1876-1877, 1880-1882, 1884, 1887-1888, 1904-1905, 1934, 1987 American Jewish Historical Society
referencedIn Guide to the Morris Schappes Papers, 1911-2004 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
creatorOf Lazarus, Emma, 1849-1887. Emma Lazarus collection [electronic resource], 1876-1987 1876-1905. Université d’Ottawa, University of Ottawa
referencedIn Lutz, Alma, 1890-1973. Collection of documents by and about abolitionists and women's rights activists, 1775-1943 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Lazarus, Emma, 1849-1887. Emma Lazarus letters, 1868-1929, 1868-1887 (bulk). Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Guide to the Morris Schappes Papers, 1911-2004 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Ralph Waldo Emerson additional papers, ca.1835-1891. Houghton Library
referencedIn Houghton Library. Houghton Library printed book provenance file, L-Q. 1942. Houghton Library
creatorOf Cleveland, Grover, 1837-1908. Letter to Emma Lazarus, 1886 March 28. Natural History Museum Los Angeles County Foundation, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
referencedIn Samuel Gray Ward and Anna Hazard Barker Ward papers, 1823-1934 (inclusive) 1837-1900 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Lazarus, Emma, 1849-1887. Poems Restlessness, and The guardian of the red disk [manuscript] / (spoken by a citizen of Malta-1300). University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Lutz, Alma, 1890-1973. Collection of documents by and about abolitionists and women's rights activists, 1775-1943 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Johnson, Thomas, fl. 1890. Engravings : of literary, political, and theatrical figures, ca. 1890. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Johnson, Robert Underwood, 1853-1937. Robert Underwood Johnson papers, 1848-1937. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Merriam, Eve, 1916-1992. The voice of liberty : the story of Emma Lazarus : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company contracts, 1831-1979 (inclusive) 1880-1940 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Diamond, David, 1915-2005. Longing for Jerusalem : for tenor solo, mixed chorus & organ / [music by] David Diamond ; poem by Judah Halevy ; translated by Emma Lazarus. Jewish Theological Seminary of America
creatorOf Lazarus, Emma, 1849-1887. Letter, [New York], 14th February 1880, to the editor of the Independent [i.e. Henry Chandler Bowen]. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Lazarus, Emma, 1849-1887. Success : [n.p.] : autograph sonnet signed, [n.d.]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Papers, 1804-1920. Congregation Shearith Israel (New York, N.Y.)
referencedIn Autograph File, L, 1641-1976. Houghton Library
creatorOf Museum of the City of New York. Statues and monuments collection, 1883-1939. Campbell University, Wiggins Memorial Library
referencedIn Gilder, Helena de Kay, d. 1916. Incoming correspondence, 1876-1915. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Emma Lazarus Federation of Jewish Women's Clubs Records The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives
referencedIn Cowen, Philip, 1853-1943. Papers, 1882-1941. The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives
creatorOf Hay, John, 1838-1905. Correspondence, 1854-1914. Brown University Archives, John Hay Library
referencedIn Emerson family correspondence, ca. 1725-1900. Houghton Library
creatorOf Kaufman, Fredrick. Mother of exiles / Emma Lazarus ; Fredrick Kaufman. Free Library of Philadelphia, Parkway Central Library
referencedIn Ralph Waldo Emerson letters from various correspondents, ca. 1814-1882. Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
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associatedWith Bultra, William. person
associatedWith Burne-Jones, Georgiana, Lady, 1840-1920 person
associatedWith Burroughs, John, 1837-1921. person
relativeOf Cardozo, Benjamin N. (Benjamin Nathan), 1870-1938 person
associatedWith Cleveland, Grover, 1837-1908. person
correspondedWith Cowen, Philip, 1853-1943. person
associatedWith DeKay, Charles, 1848-1935. person
associatedWith Deland, Margaret Wade Campbell, 1857-1945. person
associatedWith Diamond, David, 1915-2005. person
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associatedWith George, Henry, 1839-1897 person
associatedWith Gilder, Helena de Kay, d. 1916. person
associatedWith Hay, John, 1838-1905. person
founderOf Hebrew Technical Institute (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Heine, Heinrich, 1797-1856. person
associatedWith Houghton Library. person
associatedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Huxley, Thomas Henry, 1825-1895 person
associatedWith James, Henry, 1843-1916. person
correspondedWith James, William, 1842-1910 person
associatedWith Johnson, Robert Underwood, 1853-1937. person
associatedWith Johnson, Thomas, fl. 1890. person
associatedWith Johnstone, Annie Humphreys. person
associatedWith Kaufman, Fredrick. person
associatedWith Lathrop, Rose Hawthorne, 1851-1926 person
associatedWith Lazarus, Emma, 1849-1887. person
sibling of Lazarus, Josephine, 1846-1910 person
correspondedWith Lowell, James Russell, 1819-1891 person
associatedWith Lutz, Alma, person
associatedWith Lyons family. family
associatedWith Merriam, Eve, 1916-1992. person
associatedWith Morris, William, 1834-1896. person
associatedWith Museum of the City of New York. corporateBody
associatedWith Round, W. M. F. (William Marshall Fitts), 1845-1906. person
associatedWith Salvini, Tommaso, 1829-1916 person
associatedWith Schappes, Morris U. (Morris Urman), 1907- person
associatedWith Schappes, Morris U. (Morris Urman), 1907- person
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associatedWith Story, William Wetmore, 1819-1895. person
associatedWith The Century magazine. corporateBody
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associatedWith Ward, Samuel Gray. person
associatedWith Ward, W.H., 1835-1916. person
associatedWith Willian, Ruth. person
associatedWith Woodberry Poetry Room (Harvard College Library). corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York City NY US
New York City NY US
Subject
American literature
American poetry
Immigrants
Jewish women authors
Jews
Jews
Jews
Poetry
Women's rights
Occupation
Women authors, American
Authors
Poets
Translator
Women poets, American
Activity

Person

Birth 1849-07-22

Death 1887-11-19

Americans

English

Information

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Ark ID: w6jn30ss

SNAC ID: 83915073