Religion

One hallmark of the American experience captured in the Museum's collections is the nation's broad diversity of religious faiths. Artifacts range from Thomas Jefferson's Bible to a huge "Sunstone" sculpture carved for a Mormon temple in Illinois in 1844 to a household shrine from the home of a Pueblo Indian in the 1990s. Furniture, musical instruments, clothing, cooking ware, and thousands of prints and figures in the collections have all played roles in the religious lives of Americans. The most comprehensive collections include artifacts from Jewish and Christian European Americans, Catholic Latinos, Protestant Arab Americans, Buddhist and Christian Asian Pacific Americans, and Protestant African Americans. One notable group is the Vidal Collection of carved figures known as santos and other folk religious material from the practice of Santeria in Puerto Rico.

Women's Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) uniform from World War I, consisting of hat, coat, shirtwaist, tie, skirt, and insignia. Coat and skirt are olive green wool gabardine, shirt is white dimity, hat is blue cotton, and tie is blue silk.
Description
Women's Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) uniform from World War I, consisting of hat, coat, shirtwaist, tie, skirt, and insignia. Coat and skirt are olive green wool gabardine, shirt is white dimity, hat is blue cotton, and tie is blue silk. Metal "U.S." insignia on coat lapel and cloth "J.W.B." patch with Star of David background on shouler and hat. Donated by the Jewish Welfare Board through The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America.
The Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) was organized shortly after America’s entry into World War I, consolidating religious groups in the Jewish community to become an official agency to work with the War Department through its Commission on Training Camp Activities. It was modeled after the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and the Knights of Columbus, and other organizations that in World War I adapted military-like uniforms for women and men volunteers. The JWB built buildings and stocked libraries on army installations and distributed books, articles, Bibles, and prayer books supplied through its affiliation with the Jewish Publication Society. It established community branches in the “second line of defense,” by supporting Jewish workers in the shipyards, arsenals, and other military plants and factories, as well as hospitals and universities where the government had taken over under military regulations. Following the Armistice, under direction of the Navy Department, the JWB transferred its peacetime work to veteran’s hospitals and enlarged Jewish community centers.
associated date
1914-1918
ID Number
1998.0165.25.01
catalog number
1998.0165.25.01.01
1998.0165.25.01.02
accession number
1998.0165
catalog number
1998.0165.25.01
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1894
1910
about 1804
associated date
1890 - 1900
graphic artist
unknown
ID Number
2014.0037.23
catalog number
2014.0037.23
2014.0037.23
2014.0037.23
accession number
2014.0037
This sheet music is for the song “Just a Baby's Prayer at Twilight (for Her Daddy Over There).” The song was written by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young, and the music was composed by M.K. Jerome. The sheet music was published by Waterson, Berlin and Snyder Co.
Description

This sheet music is for the song “Just a Baby's Prayer at Twilight (for Her Daddy Over There).” The song was written by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young, and the music was composed by M.K. Jerome. The sheet music was published by Waterson, Berlin and Snyder Co. of New York, New York in 1918. The cover features an illustration of a young girl kneeling on her bed in prayer, which is signed by Barbelle.

The cover art for this sheet music was made by American artist and designer Albert Wilfred Barbelle (1887-1957). With a prolific career spanning over forty years, Barbelle created cover art for sheet music and albums.

Location
Currently not on view
publishing date
1918
lyricist
Lewis, Sam M.
Young, Joe
composer
Jerome, Maurice Kraus
publisher
Waterson, Berlin & Snyder Co.
ID Number
1983.0313.07
accession number
1983.0313
catalog number
1983.0313.07
Charcoal sketch on paper of German dugouts and shelters built on the side of a hill near Varennes, France. Shell-torn buildings are visible at the top of the hill at center. Railroad tracks run next to the hill at right.
Description
Charcoal sketch on paper of German dugouts and shelters built on the side of a hill near Varennes, France. Shell-torn buildings are visible at the top of the hill at center. Railroad tracks run next to the hill at right. On the left at the top of a set of stairs is apparently a makeshift cemetery with several crosses for gravestones. People can be seen walking among the various shelters and dugouts on the hill.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918-10
associated date
1917 - 1918
associated person
War Department
Peixotto, Ernest Clifford
artist
Peixotto, Ernest Clifford
ID Number
AF.25834
catalog number
25834
accession number
64592
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1914
ID Number
CL.385824A
accession number
176775
catalog number
385824A
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1914
ID Number
CL.385824B
accession number
176775
catalog number
385824B
date made
ca 1915
ID Number
CL.314681.02
catalog number
314681.02
accession number
314681
This sheet music is for the sonfg “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!” with words and music by Frank Loesser. It was published by Famous Music Corp.
Description

This sheet music is for the sonfg “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!” with words and music by Frank Loesser. It was published by Famous Music Corp. in New York, New York in 1942.

On a Sunday morning in December 1941, a chaplain had his most difficult assignment — to say a prayer to sailors aboard a U.S. navy ship actively under low–flying attack by the enemy firing from all directions. He quickly realized the best he could do was walk the ammunition line saying, “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition!” Stories of the overheard phrase quickly turned into legend and passed between soldiers, eventually reaching the press and one Broadway composer and lyricist, Frank Loesser. He served in the Radio Productions Unit charged with mounting shows of popular guest stars for boosting morale of the troops.

With the phrase as the song title, he combined the stories into one set of lyrics — fact mattered not as much as the need to inspire spirit. By 1943, the song, performed by Kay Kaiser and His Orchestra, had reached no. 1 on the Billboard chart, surpassing its peak of no. 8 the previous year when performed by the Merry Macs. Loesser donated his royalties for sale of the song to the Navy Relief Society. The chaplain originally quoted wished to remain anonymous, and the episode to remain legend. Many variations on the tale, the name of the chaplain, whether or not he himself manned a gun turret to participate in the battle, and the battle's whereabouts have existed over the years.

Location
Currently not on view
date made
1942
composer
Loesser, Frank
depicted
Kyser, Kay
lyricist
Loesser, Frank
publisher
Famous Music Corp.
ID Number
1983.0424.108
accession number
1983.0424
catalog number
1983.0424.108
This sheet music is for the song “Eli, Eli,” the opening words of Psalms 22:2, arranged and sung by Cantor Joseph Rosenblatt. It was published in New York, New York in 1919. Josef "Yossele" Rosenblatt (1882-1933) was a Ukrainian-born cantor and composer.Currently not on view
Description
This sheet music is for the song “Eli, Eli,” the opening words of Psalms 22:2, arranged and sung by Cantor Joseph Rosenblatt. It was published in New York, New York in 1919. Josef "Yossele" Rosenblatt (1882-1933) was a Ukrainian-born cantor and composer.
Location
Currently not on view
publishing date
1919
arranger
Rosenblatt, Joseph
ID Number
1986.0961.03
accession number
1986.0961
catalog number
1986.0961.03
This sheet music is for the song “Good-Bye, Good Luck, God Bless You.” This ballad had lyrics written by J. Keirn Brennan, and music composed by Ernest R. Bail. The sheet music was published by M. Witmark and Sons of New York City around 1916.
Description (Brief)
This sheet music is for the song “Good-Bye, Good Luck, God Bless You.” This ballad had lyrics written by J. Keirn Brennan, and music composed by Ernest R. Bail. The sheet music was published by M. Witmark and Sons of New York City around 1916. The orange cover features a central illustration of a man wishing his woman farewell as she picks flowers. This sheet music is a good example of how many publishers used colorful covers to try to boost sales.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1916
lyricist
Brennan, J. Keirn
composer
Ball, Ernest R.
publisher
M. Witmark & Sons
M. Witmark & Sons
ID Number
1983.0424.011
accession number
1983.0424
catalog number
1983.0424.011
Charcoal sketch on paper. A large cross is surrounded by several smaller crosses, some bearing wreaths or ribbons, in the foreground. A group of soldiers is resting among the crosses. Some men appear to be eating.
Description
Charcoal sketch on paper. A large cross is surrounded by several smaller crosses, some bearing wreaths or ribbons, in the foreground. A group of soldiers is resting among the crosses. Some men appear to be eating. A group of soldiers, on foot and on horseback, ascend a small hill in the background. At the end of this procession is a large piece of artillery. On the right of the sketch is a crater; some soldiers are walking up and out of the depression while others are at work inside the crater.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918-09
associated date
1917-1918
associated person
War Department
maker
Morgan, Wallace
ID Number
AF.25783
catalog number
25783
accession number
64592
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1914
ID Number
CL.385824C
accession number
176775
catalog number
385824C
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1940-12
date made
1940
publisher; distributor
Radio City Music Hall
maker
Radio City Music Hall
ID Number
1982.0745.18
accession number
1982.0745
catalog number
1982.0745.18
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1913
associated institution
Ku Klux Klan
composer
De Ree, Alira
publisher
Rodeheaver, Homer
maker
Rodeheaver, Homer
ID Number
1986.0309.07
accession number
1986.0309
catalog number
1986.0309.07
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1918
associated date
1910 - 1920
maker
Gosar, Ivan
ID Number
DL.304142.20B
accession number
304142
catalog number
304142.20B
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1914
graphic artist
Hyde, Helen
ID Number
GA.13274
catalog number
13274
accession number
69905
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1918
associated date
1910 - 1920
maker
Gosar, Ivan
ID Number
DL.304142.21
accession number
304142
catalog number
304142.21
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1918
associated date
1910 - 1920
maker
Gosar, Ivan
ID Number
DL.304142.20A
accession number
304142
catalog number
304142.20A
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1925
associated institution
Ku Klux Klan
publisher
Windle, Harry F.
lyricist; composer
Tillery, Noah F.
ID Number
1986.0309.09
accession number
1986.0309
catalog number
1986.0309.09
This sheet music is for the song “God Bless America,” written and composed by Irving Berlin, and published by Irving Berlin, Inc in 1938. Irving Berlin (1888–1989) wrote the song in 1918, at the end of World War I.
Description
This sheet music is for the song “God Bless America,” written and composed by Irving Berlin, and published by Irving Berlin, Inc in 1938. Irving Berlin (1888–1989) wrote the song in 1918, at the end of World War I. In 1938, with war again approaching, Berlin revised the work as a “peace song.” Kate Smith’s recording of the updated “God Bless America” became the number three hit in 1939.
Location
Currently not on view
publishing date
1939
composer; lyricist
Berlin, Irving
publisher
Irving Berlin, Inc.
ID Number
1983.0320.07
accession number
1983.0320
catalog number
1983.0320.07
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date photograph taken
April 3, 1916
ID Number
1986.3048.0701
accession number
1986.3048
catalog number
86.3048.701
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1912
maker; user
Wernikove, Sarah
maker
Wernikove, Sarah
ID Number
1986.0102.01
accession number
1986.0102
catalog number
1986.0102.01
This sheet music for the song "There's A Quaker Down in Quaker Town" was written by David Berg and composed by Alfred Soloman. The music was published by the Joe Morris Music Company of New York, New York in 1916.
Description
This sheet music for the song "There's A Quaker Down in Quaker Town" was written by David Berg and composed by Alfred Soloman. The music was published by the Joe Morris Music Company of New York, New York in 1916. The blue cover features an illustrated image of a Quaker girl walking through a village, with an image of four white flowers to her right.
Location
Currently not on view
publishing date
1916
composer
Soloman, Alfred
lyricist
Berg, David
publisher
Joe Morris Music Company
ID Number
1982.0439.06
accession number
1982.0439
1982.0439
catalog number
1982.0439.06
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1890-1914
maker
Gallaher, L. Bernie
ID Number
PG.003309
accession number
57227
catalog number
3309

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