Jews and Jewishness in Black American Thought

3 units

The history of what has been called Black-Jewish relations in the United States has a rich and contested history. The stories told about this relationship feature solidarity, controversy, and betrayal. This course will look at this history by attending to the role of Jews and Jewishness in Black thought. How has Jewishness featured in the self-understanding of Black thinkers? Have Jews been regarded as allies or adversaries, role models or competitors? What role have Jewish texts or narrative paradigms played in Black religion and Black politics? What have Black writers made of the Jewish project of national liberation i.e. Zionism? The course will likely include readings from W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, James Baldwin, and Malcolm X among others.