Jean Soman

Jean Soman spent many years researching the life and transcribing more than one hundred civil war letters written by her great- great grandfather, the heroic Colonel Marcus M. Spiegel. Marcus Spiegel was one of the highest ranking Jewish officers in the Union Army. He gave his life to preserve the United States and free the slaves. Jean co-edited with Frank L. Byrne, the book, A Jewish Colonel in the Civil War, Marcus M. Spiegel of the Ohio Volunteers (University of Nebraska Press). Originally published as Your True Marcus, The Civil War Letters of a Jewish Colonel ( Kent State Univ. Press) The letters were carefully preserved and passed down from mother to daughter in Jean’s family for five generations. Jean and her mother eventually donated the original letters and other documents to the American Jewish Archives. The Archives digitized this important historical collection. Jean served as the Interim President of the National Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission Foundation and as a member of the Board of Directors of its successor organization the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation. She is an Honorary member of the advisory board of The Lincoln Forum ,a member of the Ezra Consortium at the American Jewish Archives, a supporter of many museums and Jewish and Civic organizations. Jean Soman appeared in the History Channel’s series, “America Promised Land” ( Episode 1), discussing Colonel Marcus M. Spiegel, who was featured in the program. The PBS series, The Jewish Americans (Episode 1) also featured Colonel Marcus M. Spiegel as did other television documentaries.

Colonel Marcus M. Spiegel

Col Marcus M. Spiegel was one of the highest-ranking Jewish officers in the Union Army during the American Civil War

JEAN SOMAN

Author/Editor

Jean Soman is an author and editor. She was the Interim President of the national, Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation and was a member of its Board of Directors. In 2017, Jean was on the History Channel’s Documentary, “America Promised Land” (part 1). She co-edited the books, “A Jewish Colonel in the Civil War, Marcus M. Spiegel of the Ohio Volunteers” (Univ. of Nebraska Press) and “Your True Marcus, The Civil War Letters of a Jewish Colonel” (Kent State University Press).