John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both owned Qurans that have survived. The “Adams Quran” — known by its call number Adams 281.1 — is preserved at the Boston Public Library.
Judging the book by its unadorned, leather cover and unassuming call number, the Adams Quran in the library’s special collections stacks located on Boylston Street doesn’t appear very exceptional.
Yet turning to the compact volume’s title page, its publication details offer intriguing details about the origins and importance of America’s cherished, albeit contentious, dedication to religious liberty and the separation of church and state.
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