A Guide to the Papers of Adah Isaacs Menken ( ) (*P-559) American Jewish Historical Society Waltham, MA New York, NY

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1 A Guide to the Papers of Adah Isaacs Menken ( ) (*P-559) American Jewish Historical Society Waltham, MA New York, NY Felicia Herman August 1995

2 Note to Researchers Special Note: This finding aid was completed in the summer of 1995 as part of a general search of the collections of the American Jewish Historical Society for archival holdings relating to American Jewish women. As such, this finding aid may only reflect those parts of the collection that pertain to women. This finding aid is not intended to be an exhaustive guide to this collection. Researchers should consult the collection directly for information not pertaining to American Jewish women and gender issues. Title of the Collection: Adah Isaacs Menken ( ) Papers (*P-559) Statistics: Number of containers: 1 box (.25 linear feet) Languages: English Date Completed: August 1995 Access and Citation: These papers are open to all researchers deemed to be qualified by the Executive Director of the American Jewish Historical Society. The original collection is available at the American Jewish Historical Society, 15 West 16 th Street, New York, NY A suggested form for citation is "[Item]. American Jewish Historical Society, [Collection name] [Box #]/[Folder #]." Property and Literary Rights: Information concerning the literary rights may be obtained from the Executive Director of the American Jewish Historical Society. Related Materials: The library of the American Jewish Historical Society contains several volumes

3 by and about Adah Isaacs Menken. These include: Adah Isaacs Menken, Infelicia. (Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1869, 1881 and 1888) and several biographies of her which can be found under the listing "Menken, Adah Isaacs," in the library catalogue. There is also a photograph of the tombstone of Adah Isaacs Menken (taken in 1933) in the collection of Alice Davis Menken (*P-23), who was a daughter-in-law of a brother of one of Adah Menken s husbands. Scope and Content Note The Adah Isaacs Menken collection contains photographs, correspondence and ephemera relating to the life of one of the most famous actors in 19 th -century America. Included are photographs of Menken and Algernon C. Swinburne, a photograph of Menken in costume, letters written by Menken, and playbills from two plays, in one of which Menken starred. The collection is valuable to researchers studying 19 th -century American theater and Jews and women in American theater. The documents are in English. The collection contains 9 items. Biographical Sketch 1 Adah Isaacs Menken was born in Milneburg (a suburb of New Orleans), Louisiana, in Learned in Bible, literature and languages (including Latin and Hebrew), she served at one time as a teacher in a girls' school. Menken married Alexander Isaac Menken in 1856, and the couple lived first in New Orleans (where Menken began performing to earn money) and then in Cincinnati. She began publishing poems (some in Isaac Mayer Wise's Israelite), and she lobbied intensely for Baron Lionel Nathan de Rothschild to be able to claim the seat in the English Parliament which was being denied him because he was a Jew. Menken and her husband divorced (by rabbinical divorce), after which she moved to New York and had three unhappy marriages (to non-jews). Menken's fame as an actor spread with her portrayal of Mazeppa in the adaptation of the Byron play in Literary men, including Mark Twain, and later Charles Dickens and Charles Reade, flocked to her side. During the great Exposition in Paris, "she became the darling and the rumored mistress of kings and princes; and she cultivated her intimate and ambiguous friendship with the elderly Alexandre Dumas. She returned to London and was involved with the poet Swinburne. In 1868 she left for Paris again, to appear in a new production; but very soon the ailments that had set in years before brought on her death, in an attic room opposite the theatre. Among others, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow visited her; and the poet Thomas Buchanan Read 1 Source: The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, Vol. 7.

4 was with her to the end. A rabbi attended her last hours." Two volumes of Menken's poetry were published, Infelicia(1868) and Memoirs (1856). Box 1 Contents Date Photograph and Negative Photograph Carte De Visite Letters Playbills

5 Adah Isaacs Menken ( ) P-559 Photograph and Negative 1. photograph of Algernon C. Swinburne and Adah Isaacs Menken - with description pasted on back describing the photo and with a description of her book Infelicia, which might possibly have been partly written by him 2. page from a book with copy of this photograph on it and a small description 3. negative of this photograph Photograph Carte De Visite 1. of AIM in costume [as Diana?], holding bow and arrow 2. of Edward James sitting in a chair, with inscription "Truly Yours, Ed James" Letters 1. letter (and transcription) from AIM to "Henri" - Henry Francis Keenan, Sept. 5, transcription has a short description of Keenan and of why this letter was of interest: - Keenan was her former page, a journalist and novelist - she mentions "Orpheus C. Kerr," the pseudonym of Robert Henry Newell, who was to be become one of her husbands - her sister, Anne Campbell Josephs, "Joe," died April 28: "I am now indeed alone." - her manager was cheating her and was often drunk, so she fired him 2. from AIM to "brother Ed," Dec. 9, she's playing to full houses in Baltimore - a benefit was help for her, and she had $1500 worth of diamonds presented to her: "It was the greatest present ever got up in Baltimore, and no humbug about it either." - "Some day, Ed, I am going to be the greatest artiste in the world, and then you will be proud to have me for your/affectionate sister,/adah" - he seems to be handling her business affairs 3, from AIM to J.C. Hotten, March 17, with description of the meaning of the letter - she's waiting for proofs of her book (most likely Infelicia), and wants to know when he's going to advertise it - she's also upset about her portrait which will go in the book - "it looks affected. Perhaps I am a little vain - all women are - but the picture is certainly not beautiful"

6 Playbills 1. from La Juive, May 21, she's not in it - it's at the Academy of Music - there's a handwritten note on the bottom, "The Academy was burned down this [run?]" 2. from Rookwood!, or The Yorkshire Highwayman, Jan. 7, AIM is Jack Palmer and Dick Turpin - in rehearsal is 3 Fast Women, in which AIM will "appear in 9 Characters, 5 Songs and 3 Dances"

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