Negroes' Animosity Towards Jews Traced to Many Roots Negroes and they are therefore By STEVEN PRYSTOWSKY identified with oppression and are (Copyright, 1964, JTA, Inc.) Anti-Semitism among Negroes hated for it. I remember meeting in the United States is principally no Negro in the years of growing an urban phenomenon. As an ac- up who would really trust a Jew, tive element -it is virtually un- and few who did not, indeed, ex- known in .rural regions. It is the hibit for them the blackest con- close relationship between these tempt." two minorities in the urban areas, Traditional Christian bias that especially in economic matters, the Jews killed Jesus is another that spawn Negro anti-Semitism. contributor to anti-Jewish feeling. These ties include: 1. landlord- "All of us black people," states tenant; 2. merchant-consumer; 3. Richard Wright, "who lived in the professional competition; and 4. neighborhood, hated Jews, not be- competitiOn between Negro and cause they exploited us, but be- Jewish businessmen. cause we had been taught in Sun- The closest relationship found day School that Jews were 'Christ between Negroes and Jews in Ne- Killers' . . . To hold an attitude gro communities and a main cause of antagonism towards Jews was of anti-Jewish feeling is that of bred in us from childhood, it was not merely racial prejudice, it was landlord to tenant. Houses in Negro neighborhoods part of our cultural heritage." Negro anti-Semitism is increas- are usually in need, of repair. Des- pite such deplorable conditions— ing with the growing tide of Negro buildings are overcrowded, un- militancy. The Black Muslim move- sanitary, and dilapidated—Negroes ment, a Negro cult emphasizing pay comparatively higher rents separation, is openly anti-Jewish tfian whites. Consequently, the and incites the latent anti-Semi- landlords. of these buildings are tism of its followers. The danger regarded with great. contempt by of the Muslims lies not so much the Negro populace. But it is the in their extreme hatred for Jews Jelif who is blamed. Because these but in that their hatred is being communities were formerly Jew- spewed forth by thousands of Ne- ish neighborhoods plus the fact groes not associated with the that many apartment houses are movement. Should the Muslims be- owned by Jews, Negroes tend to come a major force there is no identify all landlords as Jewish doubt that anti-Semitism will in- and attribute all housing ills to crease greatly. the "gouging Jewish landlord." The reasons for Negro anti- Many Negroes state that they Semitism are paradoxical; they are anti-Semitic because "Jews . are the result of both truth and own everything in sight." One Ne- fiction. The fictional part is corn- gro described his plight: "I pawn, posed of traditional stereotypes my watch at a Jewish store, I and faulty generalizations lodged buy my food at a Jewish store, I , in the minds of Negroes by anti- go into a Jewish place of amuse- Semitic propaganda. ment, and I buy my clothes from ; Negroes refuse to judge each in- a Jew." Tills is the economic sit- di vid ual Jew by his deeds but uation Negroes have to cope with.' rather lump all Jews into one Since these stores (grocery, hard- category characterized by the per- ware, liquor, etc.) are the only formances staged by a small ones that will extend him credit, minority. He sees one deceitful the Negro has no alternative but Jewish merchant . and concludes to shop there though the prices that all Jewish merchants are de- are generally higher than similar ceitful. He believes that all land- stores in white communities. As a lords in Negro neighborhoods are result, Negro anti-Jewish feeling 1 Jewish because of the popular is generated. belief that Jews own most of the Intense resentment is expressed property in the area. Even when by Negro professionals against Jews are collectors for Gentile their Jewish counterparts. The firms resentment is still directed feeling is that Jewish profession- , against them. It is seldom real- als are of service to Negro clients i ized by Negroes that most land- and patients who rightfully belong lords, irrespective or the racial to them. They also ch ge that group to which they belong are Jewish firms refuse to ire them, guilty of the same practices. and instead, give employment to The stereotype of the Jewish members of their own religion. store owner as an "exploiter" is In governmental jobs there is common among Negroes. What much Negro antagonism towards Negroes refuse to consider is that Jews. Jews, because they have wherever small businessmen exist worked longer, are often found prices are high. And the small in superior positions, while Ne- buSinessmen in Harlem are no groes are in inferior positions. It exception. They must charge is not unusual to find Negro I higher prices if they are to make school teachers working under any profit. Their small-scale buy- Jewish principals , or Negro social j ing forces them to pay higher workers taking orders from Jew- wholesale prices. ish supervisors.- James Baldwin has written that The fourth cause of Negro anti- "as society must have a scapegoat, Semitism is the competition or so hatred must have a symbol. lack of it between Negro and Jew- Georgia has the Negro and Har- ish businessmen in Negro commu- lem has the Jew." Jews are sin- nities. Convinced that Jews can gled out becduse they are more always outdo rival Negro business- easily identified as a group than. men, Negroes demand that Jews Gentile landlords and merchants. leave their neighborhood. The latter belong to many reli- In 1962, a group of Negroes gios denominations and are more picketed in f r o n t of Harlem's difficult to blame. As Whitney Apollo Theater (owned by a Jew), Young, head of the Urban League, and chanted "Black man must pointed out: "What is mistaken for stay; Jew must go." The purpose anti-Semitism is anti-white feel- of the picketing was to protest ing." white ownership of storesi in Har- Finally, many Negroes misin- lem. A two-block stretchknown terpert the Jewish attitude of sep- as the Gold Coast-125th street aration as prejudice. Jews have between Lenox and Eighth ave- always lived in ghettos or corn- nues—had only one store owned munities that have had a large by a Negro. ' proportion of Jews. They have al- In each of the above encounters, ways been opposed to integra- Jews have played the dominant tion. This is a sociological truth role. Negroes object to this pat- and should not be construed as tern and seek to break it. outright 'discrimination. The same James Baldwin, in Notes of a reasoning follows for businessmen Native Son, describes the Negro and firms who hire only Jews. view of the Jews of Harlem: "Jews On the other hand, there are in Harlem are small tradesmen, many Jews—too many—who, in rent collectors, real estate agents fact, exploit Negroes. Jews own and pawnbrokers; they operate in accordance with the American THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS business tradition of exploiting 30 Friday, September 4, 1964 Why a Jewish Home? By Dr. Emanuel Gamoran Children in homes where Jew- ishness is accepted as a fact and associated with many pleasurable experiences are, on the whole, bet- ter adjusted to face the world in which they live than those in homes that are bereft of Judaism and of Jewish customs, and are conscious of their Jewishness only because of the problem of anti- Semitism or of drives to collect funds for Jewish causes. Once this thought is brought home to a Jew- ish parent he may seek to obtain the knowledge -.vhich will help him to give his child the inner re- sources, the wholesome pride and courage which he needs. slum houses, and over charge Ne- gro tenants. This unfortunately, is true. This type of behavior does more damage to the Jewish image than one thousand Jewish freedom riders or one-thousand Jewish members of the NAACP do to promote it. One Negro woman told the following to a newspaper reporter: "I don't care how many rabbis march on the picket lines . . . If I go to a Jewish real estate agent—well, I better not go to one. It wouldn't help." Negroes living in slums are not interested in the fact that Jewish organiza- tions are fighting for them while they are shivering for lack of heat in their rat-infested apart- ments. EDW. C. LEVY SLAG CO. Wishes THE JEWISH COMMUNITY A HEALTHY AND HAPPY ROSH HASHANAH - YOM KIPPUR A YOMTOV WITH SHALOM Jews are also guilty of dis- crimination and hypocrisy. Mas- querading as friends of Negroes, they always talk about helping them improve their lot. But they only give Negroes token equality. They speak of equality, but do not practice it. When Jewish realtors 'refuse to allow Negroes to move into their apartment houses for fear of los- ing their white tenants, they are guilty of discrimination. When Jews move out of attractive neigh- borhoods en masse as a few Ne- groes move in they are guilty of discrimination. This sight becomes too difficult for the Negro to for- get and understandably so. Who can blame Negroes for anti-Jewish feelings? , Relationships between Jews and Negroes will undergo difficult tests in the future. There will be many areas of conflict between the two minorities. Negroes will be moving into Jewish neighbor- hoods; Negro and Jewish business- men will be competing for Negro consumers; and aspiring Negro politicians will challenge Jewish politicians for control in minor- ity areas. If the Jews want to reduce Ne- gro anti-Semitism, or at least want to be sure that they are innocent victims, they must practcie equal- ity in deeds and actions, and not in platitudes. If not, they have only themselves to blame far fostering anti-Semitism among Ne- groes. 1150 GRISWOLD STREET, DETROIT-963-7626 The Officers and Workers of the ISRAEL HISTADRUT CAMPAIGN Extend Sincerest Good Wishes for a Year of Health and Happiness to All Their Friends and to the Michigan Community at Large and Call for the Continued Support of Histadrut in Its Program of Cultural, Educational and Medical Aid to the People of Israel. DETROIT COMMITTEE Harry Schumer, Honorary Chairman; Morris Lieberman, Chairman; Sidney Shevitz, 1st Vice- Chairman; Irving Pokempner, Chairman Executive Board; Norman Cottler, Treasurer; Isadore L. Shrodeck, Financial Secretary; Mrs. Milton Weiss, Secretary; Alfred Michaels, Executive Director.