The Black anti-semitism controversy

After almost a century of collaborative efforts between Black and Jewish organizations on significant issues of civil rights and social justice in America, the nation's Black and Jewish communities have become increasingly polarized during the past several decades over the issue of Black anti-semitism. Fueled by public comments of Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson, Leonard Jeffries and others, by clashes between Black and Jewish residents in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, and by Black-Jewish tensions among students on several college campuses, the debate over whether and to what extent Black Americans manifest discernible traits of anti-semitism in their attitudes toward Jewish people has become one of the volatile social issues of the present time. The Black Anti-Semitism Controversy provides a background and assessment of the issue as it has been discussed in academic and public circles for the past half-century, with an extended review of the literature on black-Jewish relations since World War II. The centerpiece of this collection contains the findings of a survey of Black Protestants in three American cities regarding their attitudes toward Jewish people. Conducted by a nationally distinguished social scientist, this portion of the study stands on its own methodological merits. It should be weighed in the context of the extensive literature on the topic of Black anti-semitism that has been published over the past four decades. The remainder of the essays analyze and assess the issue of Black anti-Semitism, drawing heavily on a chronological description of viewpoints expressed in books, articles, monographs, and other statements, focusing particularly on the period since World War II. It is the occurrence of the Holocaust, undoubtedly, which gives every Jewish person reason to fear any manifestation of prejudice toward Jews; but it is precisely the Holocaust that requires that we make every effort to understand what is and what is not anti-semitism. The question of whether prejudice may escalate to the level of anti-semitic beliefs and behavior is crucial. Whatever the answer, Black as well as Jewish Americans have a particular stake in it. The Black Anti-Semitism Controversy offers a fresh examination of an old problem, rooted in a unique relationship between two groups in American society whose common history in the struggle for justice in America has been both the source of considerable achievements and considerable friction. This examination is offered in the conviction that Black and Jewish Americans continue to have far more to gain from pursuing a common agenda than in going their separate ways.