The New Mexico Jewish Historical Society was founded in 1986 to promote the preservation of Jewish history in New Mexico. One of these components was the establishment of the NM Jewish Historical Society's Archives, housed at the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives. These records include family papers from Jewish pioneers in New Mexico, Jewish artists, and the Society's administrative records. Elisabeth Kaplan wrote, while looking at the American Jewish Historical Society's inception, that "[t]he archival record doesn't just happen; it is created by individuals and organizations, and used, in turn, to support their values and missions, all of which comprises a process that is certainly not politically or culturally neutral."[i] The purpose of this research was to look at how the NMJHS fits into the larger history of American Jewish archives and how their preservation of Jewish history in New Mexico shapes and strengthens the community.
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2009