NNP

This illustrated historical catalog traces the life, legacy, and evolving commemoration of Haym Salomon, the Jewish financier whose critical support helped sustain the American Revolution. It opens with a biographical overview describing Salomon’s immigration from Poland, his arrest as a suspected spy in New York, his work aiding prisoners, and—most importantly—his financial role in Philadelphia, where his linguistic skills and broker expertise allowed him to raise essential funds for leaders including James Madison and, crucially, George Washington before the Yorktown campaign. The document reproduces period materials such as his 1778 memorial to Congress, 1782 financial documents bearing his signature, and personal family items, highlighting both his contributions and the tragic fact that he died in 1785 with large holdings of worthless depreciated currency.

The remainder of the compilation reveals how Salomon has been remembered from the 19th century to the present through art, medals, monuments, stamps, films, children’s books, and institutional honors. These include Congressional proposals for a gold medal (1893), failed efforts to erect a New York monument (1927), a 1939 Oscar-winning short film, sculptures in Chicago and Los Angeles, a World War II Liberty Ship bearing his name, the 1975 U.S. postage stamp, and numerous commemorative medals issued from 1971 to 2026—including the Jewish-American Hall of Fame’s Semiquincentennial medal “Send for Haym Salomon.” Modern tributes also extend to community institutions such as nursing homes, memorial parks, and cultural organizations bearing his name. Together, the document portrays Salomon as a long-recognized but still under-appreciated financial hero of the Revolution whose memory has been preserved through a rich and diverse array of commemorations.