The Robert A. and Elizabeth R. Jeffe Distinguished Lecture in Urban History: The Last Ships from Hamburg

Learn about the mass migration of 2.5 million Jews who fled Eastern Europe between 1890 and 1921 in this conversation with Steven Ujifusa. Tracing their journey from Russian shtetls to New York’s mansions and labor protests, he weaves together themes of immigration, business, politics, and nativism—offering timely insight into both history and today’s refugee crises. The discussion is moderated by Sarah Henry, Senior Scholar and Curator Emerita.

About the Speaker: 

Steven Ujifusa is a historian who chronicles the confluence of American business, social, and maritime history. His third book, The Last Ships from Hamburg: Business, Rivalry, and the Race to Save Russia's Jews on the Eve of World War I, tells the story of Eastern European Jewish immigration to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was named by Publishers Weekly as one of the best books of 2023.Steven is the recipient of the Washington Irving Medal for Literary Excellence from the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York, a MacDowell artist residency, and the Athenaeum of Philadelphia's Literary Award for Non-Fiction. He has appeared on National Public Radio, CBS Sunday Morning, and numerous other media outlets. 

​ Steven received his undergraduate degree in history from Harvard University and a joint masters in historic preservation and real estate development from the University of Pennsylvania. 

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.