Mailing Address:
Special Collections
College of Charleston Library
66 George Street
Charleston, SC 29424

Phone:
(843) 953-8016

Title: Nat Shulman papers

Collection #: Mss 1007

Dates: 1943-1995 (bulk 1970-1989)

Size: 2.5 linear ft.

Biographical Note: Born in New Jersey in 1914, Shulman became the first director of the Charleston Jewish Community Center in 1945, after working with the Jewish Welfare Board in the USO program. Shulman remained Director until 1972, when he became director of the Charleston Jewish Welfare Fund (renamed Charleston Jewish Federation in 1980.) He then served (1981-1993) as consultant. A recipient of national and local awards, Shulman served on many service, volunteer, and benevolent agencies. He helped found (1959) the Charleston Jewish Community Relations Board.

Scope and Content Note:

Includes professional and personal correspondence and papers, typed and carbon letters, photographs, brochures, and photocopies.

The correspondence consists mostly of incoming letters and carbons of replies, on personal and professional topics. Early materials cover the beginnings of the Jewish Community Center, social life and services offered military personnel, with a few letters from Jewish soldiers in occupied Germany. Correspondence contains mostly invitations, thank you and congratulatory notes, letters of condolence, etc.

There are brief mentions of: request to remove religious affiliations from SC State Board of Dentistry materials, Kuwaiti interests in Kiawah Island, state senate campaign of William Saunders, laws re vocational rehabilitation, and the state of Israel. Politicians and others replying to issues include J. Palmer Gaillard, Mendel Davis, Nancy Thurmond, Ernest Hollings, Floyd Spence, Strom Thurmond, Richard Riley, Nancy Stephenson and others.

Letters contain frequent references to Shulman's wife Lillian, and children, with a letter describing Sabbath observation of Hassidic followers of Lubavitcher rabbi Menachem Schneerson. Biographical materials include vitae, photographs (1940s-1990s) of Shulman, friends and family, Strom Thurmond and Ernest F. Hollings, miscellaneous poetry and prose and papers (1959-1971) of a private investment club.

Papers of Jewish groups document the Jewish Community Center. Minutes, brochures, correspondence etc., relate to ORT - Organization through Rehabilitation and Training, a social development program for Israel, and the Israel town Kiryat Shmona and the program "Project Renewal." Also contains materials of group trips (1962, 1968, 1971, 1976) to Israel, mostly led by Shulman.

Materials re non-Jewish charities and groups include clippings, bylaws, correspondence and reports of Parent Youth Association of Charleston; scattered minutes, mailings, correspondence of the Military Services Center Branch of the YMCA; ephemera re Charleston Lodge 242, B.P.O. Elks, and

Materials re Small Cities Executive Institute (1975-1989) and the Blue Ridge Institute (1964-1981), with copies of papers delivered there in 1979 and 1980 on issues such as Southern family life (1927-1978), and mental health. Veterans Administration Voluntary Service papers (1981-1993) document Jewish volunteers at VA hospital on Christian holidays. Papers (1985-1994) of the Food Bank include minutes, correspondence, clippings, lists, by laws and related corporate papers.

Inventory:

  1. Professional Correspondence

    2. Correspondence, 1943-1946. With information re NS?'s work with USO and Jewish Welfare Board, letters from Jewish servicemen in occupied Germany, and letter (1946) offering NS directorship of Jewish Community Center. 1/1

    Printed miscellany, photographs (1943-1949). Program (1944) of USO-Jewish Welfare Board program for servicemen, clippings and photographs re Jewish servicemen, and Jewish Community Center cultural and fund-raising activities during and after war. 1/2

    Correspondence as Director Jewish Community Center, 1963-1967. 1/3

    Correspondence, Director Jewish Community Center, 1968. 1/4

    Correspondence, Director Jewish Community Center, 1969. 1/5

    Correspondence, Director Jewish Community Center, 1970. 1/6

    Correspondence, Director Jewish Community Center, 1971. 1/7

    Correspondence, Director Chas. Jewish Welfare Fund, 1972. 1/8

    Correspondence, Director Chas. Jewish Welfare Fund, 1973. 1/9

    Correspondence, Director Chas. Jewish Welfare Funds, 1974. 1/10

    Correspondence, Director Chas. Jewish Welfare Fund, 1975. 1/11

    Correspondence, Director Chas. Jewish Welfare Fund, 1976. 1/12

    Correspondence, Director Chas. Jewish Welfare Fund, 1977. 1/13

    Correspondence, Director Chas. Jewish Welfare Fund, 1978. 1/14

    Correspondence, Director Chas. Jewish Welfare Fund, 1979. 1/15

    Correspondence, Director Chas. Jewish Federation. Jan-May 1980. 1/16

    Correspondence, Director Chas. Jewish Federation June-Dec. 1980. 1/17

    Correspondence, Consultant, Chas. Jewish Welfare Fund, 1981-1983. 1/18

    Correspondence, Consultant, Chas. Jewish Welfare Fund 1984-1989. 1/19/p>

    Correspondence, Consultant, Chas. Jewish Welfare Fund 1990-1995. 1/20

  2. Biographical material

    3. Resumes, lists of honors, etc. and copies of interviews with NS. 1/21

    Biographical certificates, clippings and photocopies. 1/22

    Honors, invitations, programs, etc. honoring Nat and Lillian Shulman. 1/23

    Family materials, clippings, invitations, programs re children, etc. 1/24

    Miscellaneous humorous prose and poetry written by NS. 1/25

    Photographs of NS, with family, dignitaries and groups. 1/26

    Material re NS's alma mater, Upsala College. 1/27

    Investments materials, Chai Investment Club. 1/28

    III.

  3. Affiliations & Projects: Jewish and JCC (Jewish Community Center) related

    4. Lectures and speeches (c 1950s-1980s) re Chas. Jewish Comm. Center. 1/29

    Background papers, lectures (1960s-1970s) re "Jewish Community Center idea" with materials Jewish Welfare Board. 1/30

    Clippings, brochures, programs etc. (1945-1966) re founding, funding and running Charleston JCC; with data re JCC Booster Club. 1/31

    Histories, photos, etc. (ca. 1970s-1990s) documenting Charleston JCC. 1/32

    History (ca. 1981) & dance card/program (1967) of JCC Booster Club. 2/1

    Misc. materials (ca. 1954-1980s), flyers, lists, program re JCC, including Birds-Eye View (1962) of proposed JCC campus. 2/2

    Correspondence, minutes, blueprints, notes, speeches etc. (1973-1974) re JCC's Edwin S. Pearlstine (1898-1971) memorial swimming pool. 2/3

    Papers (1970-1974) re ORT (Organization through Rehabilitation and Training) national office and Charleston Chapter. 2/4

    Papers (1975-1981, 1987) re Charleston chapter and national ORT. 2/5

    Papers (1980) re celebration, in Israel, of ORT centennial. 2/6

    Mission to Israel (Charleston Jewish Welfare Fund), 1962, 1968. 2/7

    Mission to Israel Photographs of participants and tour, 1968. 2/8

    United Jewish Appeal Operation Israel Trip materials, 1971. 2/9

    Mission to Israel (Charleston Jewish Welfare Fund) trip, 1971. 2/10

    Thomas R. Waring News & Courier series re trip to Israel, 1971. 2/11

    Charles Connor Charleston WV Daily Mail series re trip to Israel, 1971. 2/12

    United Jewish Appeal "This Year in Jerusalem" trip to Israel, 1976. 2/13

    Printed materials, brochures and ephemera (1970s) re Israel. 2/14

    Correspondence & papers (1979-1980) re Project Renewal, program to give help to Israeli town Kiryat Shmona via twinned cities in USA. 2/15

    Printed materials documenting Project Renewal. 2/16

    Clippings (1979) & certificate (1976) re resettling Russian Jews in Charleston. 2/17

  4. Affiliations: General and benevolent

    5. Parent-Youth Code and Association Papers (1961-1962), Charleston. 2/18

    Parent-Youth Code and Association clippings, printed matter (1961-1962). 2/19

    YMCA of Charleston, Military Services Center Branch papers (1974-1978). 2/20

    B.P.O. Elks, Charleston Lodge 242, clippings, certificates, misc. (1971-1984). 2/21

    Exchange Club, scattered clippings, certificates, newsletters etc. (1974-1989). 2/22

    Scattered letters, newsetters, clippings (1966-1974) re SC and Charleston County Mental Health Associations. 2/23

    Small Cities Executive Institute materials (1975-1989) and lecture (1979). 2/24

    Blue Ridge Institute minutes, attendance lists, correspondence (1978-1981). 2/25

    Blue Ridge Institute printed matter & papers presented there (1978-1980). 2/26

    Blue Ridge Institute photos of groups attending, and post card (1964-1981). 2/27

    Veterans Administration Voluntary Service Program papers (1981-1989). 2/28

    Veterans Administration Voluntary Service Program papers (1990-1993). 2/29

    Food Trust papers, minutes, correspondence, start up papers (1982-1984). 2/30

    Food Trust papers (1985-1986). 2/31

    Food Trust papers (1987-1988). 2/32

    Food Trust papers (1989-1990). 2/33

    Food Trust papers (1991-1992). 2/34

    Food Trust papers (1993-1994). 2/35

    Food Trust papers forms, lists and undated materials. 2/36

    Food Trust papers, printed materials, clippings (1983-1989). 2/37