Shakers and Shakerism

A Guide to the Collections
of The New York Public Library

The Research Libraries of The New York Public Library collect extensively on Shakers and Shakerism, a religious movement formally known as the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Coming. This Christian body has received considerable scholarly and popular attention. Although initially related to elements of Quakerism, the Shakers developed an idiosyncratic religious expression which included communal living, productive labor, celibacy, and a ritual noted for its dancing and shaking. While the eclectic nature of Shaker theology has been the focus of scholarly attention, the distinctive craftsmanship and folk art of Shaker life--the results of an avowed commitment to a life of perfection--have attracted popular interest.

A significant aspect of Shakerism is its founding by a woman, Mother Ann Lee, who was regarded by her followers as the second incarnation of Christ. Although the movement began in England under Ann Lee in 1758, the small body of believers removed itself to America under her leadership in 1774. Shakerism's unique role in American social and cultural history has manifested itself in a significant literature, by members and outsiders alike, much of which has been collected by the Research Libraries.

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