Judaica Librarianship

Volume 8 Vol. 8 no. 1-2 162-164

9-1-1994 Research Resources for the Study of African- American and Jewish Relations Betty Kaplan Gubert New York, NY

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Recommended Citation Gubert, Betty Kaplan. 1994. "Research Resources for the Study of African-American and Jewish Relations." Judaica Librarianship 8: 162-164. doi:10.14263/2330-2976.1262. , Association of Jewish Libraries, 28th Annual Convention, New York City REFERE�CE DEPARTME�T

Research Resources for the Study of African-American and Jewish Relations*

Betty Kaplan Gubert New York, NY

Abstract: Several libraries in New York Americans has been examined and ana­ New York Public Library (NYPL). These City have exceptionally rich resources lyzed in numerous books, articles, disser­ titles are of course in the online catalogs for the study of relations between tations, and conferences. Some titles are of NYPL, but if one wants to see what has African Americans and Jewish Ameri­ straightforward. Others reflect the com­ been published in a particular year, or the cans. The holdings of and access to plexity of these relations over the years: most recent work, this provides a more these collections are discussed; some Jonathan Kaufman's Broken Alliance efficient means of access. The Guide lists sources in other parts of the U.S. are (1988), Robert Weisbord's Bittersweet books held by the Schomburg Center for mentioned as well. The most important Encounter (1970), William M. Phillips's An Research in Black Culture, a division of collection is in the Schomburg Center Unillustrious Alliance (1991), and Jack �YPL. Arthur A. Schomburg, whose per­ for Research in Black Culture, The Salzman's Bridges and Boundaries sonal collection formed the core of the New York Public Library. Besides (1992). These titles have a largely pes­ Center-and for whom it is named-was books, there is a vast Clipping File, the simistic ring. a Puerto Rican of African and German unique Kaiser Index, manuscript col­ descent. There is no Jewish connection lections, and some audio and visual On the other hand, there are numerous here. The Center is, however, the foremost materials. The Jewish Division of The local activities between the two groups institution in which to find material on rela­ New York Public Library has unparal­ that generate pamphlets, manuals, and tions between African Americans and Jews. leled holdings of Jewish newspapers revised versions of the Haggadah, which Now nearly 70 years old, it contains a large from around the world, from which rel­ reflect attempts to repair, sweeten, and number of books on the subject. evant articles can be derived. make illustrious those encounters be­ tween African Americans and Jewish Many of these books may be found at The libraries of the Jewish Theological Americans. In 1991, the Kovler Institute other libraries, but the Schomburg Center Seminary and the VIVO Institute ,are for Black-Jewish Relations (Religious has two unique resources which are sig­ also both fine sources. Their book hold­ Action Center of Reform Judaism in nificant: the clipping files, begun in 1925, ings are up-to-date, and YIVO's clip­ Washington, D.C.) published Common and the Kaiser Index to Black Resources, ping file is also, including such items Road to Justice: A Programming Manual 1948-1986 (Carlson Publishing, 1992). as publicity releases from Mayors for Blacks and Jews, edited by Lynne Both of these gems began as in-house Koch and Dinkins. YIVO's archives Landsberg. Black-Jewish seders are held, finding aids because there was so little have such important historical hold­ and in 1993 a Jewish-Haitian seder was reference or biographical material avail­ ings as the American Jewish Commit­ held in Massachusetts. Whether opti­ able then. For that reason, the clipping tee Records (1930s to the 1970s), and mistic or pessimistic, materials about files were never weeded, as library manu­ some NAACP materials from the thir­ these two American minorities abound for als tell us they should be. The file grew ties and forties. interested students or scholars, at what­ and grew until it is now in three parts. ever level of research they wish to under­ Children's books on this topic and take. The first part covers 1925 to 197 4 and is ways of acquiring information are on microfiche. For "Jews and Negroes," noted. A list of the major libraries, with The Schomburg Center at NYPL the heading then used, there are seven addresses, telephone numbers, and fiche cards, each holding 98 book-sized hours is in an appendix. A good start may be made with Lenwood pages. There is an eighth card headed Davis's Black-Jewish Relations in the "Jews and Negroes-Bibliography." The Pessimism and Optimism United States, 1752-1984: A Selected second part, a supplement to the file cov­ Bibliography. Published in 1984 by Green­ ering the years 1975 to 1988, has also The subject of relations and encounters wood Press, it is the latest, and at 130 been converted to microfiche. It consists between African Americans and Jewish pages, the longest bibliography on this of twelve cards, pointing to the great topic to date. More recent books and arti­ increase in available information in recent cles can be accessed through America: decades. The dates of the file are acquisi­ History and Life, Reader's Guide, and tion dates, not dates of publication. This Index to Jewish Periodicals. For books, a file includes articles dated 1936, 1964, *Paper presented at the 28th Annual Con­ good source is the Bibliographic Guide to and 1968, for example. In this section, vention of the Association of Jewish Black Studies, published by G. K. Hall there was an interesting find: an article Libraries, New York, June 21, 1993, at a (1975- ). One of Hall's annual subject entitled "Among the Children of the East session entitled "Research Resources in bibliographies, it extracts all the titles cat­ Side Jews," written in 1905 by a young Selected Fields." aloged by the Research Libraries of The Black woman teacher, Jessie Fortune.

162 Judaica Librarianship Vol. 8 No. 1-2 Spring 1993-Winter 1994 Association of Jewish Libraries, 28th Annual Convention, New York City

Her father, T. Thomas Fortune, was the on Black-Jewish relations. The Ralph University both have strong book collec­ publisher of New York Age, a Black news­ Bunche Papers contain materials on the tions on the subject, along with sets of the paper. He published her article in his Jewish Labor Committee and liberal and Index to Jewish Periodicals. JTS has a newspaper, and Jewish Currents re­ left-wing groups, as well as material on clipping file, but it has not been kept cur­ printed it in February 1975. The third part, his Mideast peace efforts, for which Bunche rent. Nevertheless, the file contains arti­ still in hard copy, continues from 1989 to won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950. cles of value to the researcher. For the present. It consists of four large en­ example, one can find in it articles from velopes which contain, besides clippings Other Repositories the Baltimore Jewish Times (November 8, and flyers, a Black-Jewish Haggadah and 1985) about Louis Farrakhan in Los an Anti-Defamation League Research The archives of the VIVO Institute for Angeles. There is also an article on Report, "The Anti-Semitism of Black Dema­ Jewish Research hold the records of the Crown Heights' racial tensions (New York gogues and Extremists," both dated 1992. American Jewish Committee from 1930 to Times, April 10, 1987), and the transcript the 1970s. This enormous collection is ex­ of a television program on antisemitism The Kaiser Index to Black Resources, tremely important for research on this and the Negro, dating from the 1960s. 1948-1986 is an index to Black periodical period. Among the subjects included are Two bibliographies dated 1966 and 1968 literature. But it also contains citations to antisemitism, bigotry, civil liberties, integra­ are among other relevant items in the file. books and sometimes even to articles in tion (boxes 47-61), litigation, meetings with The New York Times. This is in contrast Negro leaders, minstrel shows (letters from ' Children's Literature to the clipping file, which primarily con­ AJC dated 1950 to 1960 explain to congre­ tains articles from the White press. The gations why these entertainments are offen­ Children's books very often provide Kaiser Index dates from 1948, but in­ sive), public accommodations, and White glimpses of interactions between African cludes some earlier articles. It was com­ House Conferences. The subject of race Americans and Jewish Americans. Re­ piled by Ernest Kaiser, who worked at the relations is further broken down: box 257 cent titles that do so in original ways are Schomburg Center for 40 years and contains speeches, surveys of attitudes of Elijah's Angel: A Story for Chanukah and retired in 1986. Some of the periodicals Negroes toward Jews, and studies from Christmas, by Michael J. Rosen (1992) covered are New York Amsterdam News, the forties to the sixties; box 258 covers and illustrated by Aminah B. L. Robinson; Freedomways, Negro History Bulletin, tensions between the two groups from Chicken Sunday and Mrs. Katz and Tush, Muhammad Speaks, New South, and the 1938 to 1962; and box 259 has informa­ both written and illustrated by Patricia Pittsburgh Courier. The Library of Con­ tion on the sit-ins of 1960-1962. There is Polacco (1992); and All the Colors of the gress heading "Afro-Americans-Rela­ also information on the NAACP in the Race, by Arnold Adoff (1982) and illus­ tions with Jews" is used in the index, and 1930s and 1940s. trated by John Steptoe. These books are under it there are about 135 citations. autobiographical. The first three show Under the heading "Jews-United YIVO's library is up-to-date on books mainly unrelated children and adults from States" there are another 50 citations. about relations between Jewish Ameri­ both groups interacting with each other. The machine-readable version of the cans and African Americans. The clipping Adoff's poetry presents the views of a Kaiser Index is available only at the Center, file is current and thick, and includes child of an interracial marriage. More play­ so if a personal or organizational name can­ more than just clippings. It contains the ful, and for a younger group, is You Be not be found in the book index, a request press releases that both Mayors Koch Me, I'll Be You. The child is brown­ may be made for a computer search. and Dinkins sent about their stands on skinned, the father White. While there is issues affecting Blacks and Jews, in 1988 no evidence that one of the parents is The Manuscripts, Archives, and Rare and 1992, respectively. The file also con­ Jewish, the author is Pili Mandelbaum Books Division at the Schomburg Center tains an article from the Jewish Standard, (1990). The book was translated from contains a number of archival record written by Julius Lester in 1992, about French. groups documenting the participation of antisemitism among African Americans. Jewish individuals in phases of the civil Conclusion rights movement. Non-institutional, these The Jewish Division of the New York Pub­ records are contemporaneous and frank. lic Library has an unparalleled collection In all the libraries mentioned there is a of newspapers from national and interna­ wealth of information, as well as complex­ The record groups include the Ruth ti on aI sources. Most of them are on ity of access. The catalogs, finding aids, Schein Papers-documents written or microfilm. It is unfortunate that they are and indexes are in multiple parts. The sit­ printed at the time of the 1964 Mississippi not indexed. For documentation of the uation of multi-part catalogs and indexes, Freedom Summer Project; the Iris Green­ role Jews played in the civil rights move­ each with its own finding aids and idiosyn­ burg Papers, which tell of her experiences ment, there is the Irving M. Engel Oral crasies, is of course due to rapidly ex­ in Arkansas in 1963; the Robert and Anita History Collection on Civil Rights. Particu­ panding technologies and efforts to Stein Papers, which document the efforts lar attention is paid to Black-Jewish rela­ expand a library's holdings beyond its of the Ethical Culture Society to further tions in the movement. People such as own walls, as well as to commercial enter­ interracial harmony in the South of the Roger Baldwin, Jack Greenberg, Dorothy prises. There's fiche, film, online, paper, 1960s; and the Dr. Ross Thalheimer Pa­ I. Height, Bayard Rustin, and Roy Wilkins and sometimes the information is in more pers, which include telegrams from Martin are represented. This collection is part of than one form. Luther King, Jr., and a letter fromXenneth the larger William E. Wiener Oral History Clark. Thalheimer belonged to both the Library. The Jewish Division has both Librarians are essential as guides to the National Association for the Advancement transcripts and audiocassettes of the complicated access that obtains at great, of Colored People (NAACP) and the Ur­ interviews. old libraries. Printed guides to using the ban League. The papers of Ethel Payne, library would be useful, although there are a Black journalist, include four folders of The libraries of the Jewish Theological differences of opinion about how many clippings and materials from a conference Seminary of America (JTS) and Yeshiva patrons read them. Serious scholars find

Judaica Librarianship Vol. 8 No. 1-2 Spring 1993-Winter 1994 163 , Association of Jewish Libraries, 28th Annual Convention, New York City

them most helpful, and they substitute to Weisbord, Robert. Bittersweet Encounter: The II. Policy Institutes some extent for the librarian at extremely Afro-American and the American Jew. West­ busy times. Schomburg, a public library, port, CT: Negro Universities Press, 1970. The following organizations issue publica­ often has 50-100 patrons in the two read­ tions that may be of interest as resources ing rooms, especially during the academic Appendix: for the study of relations between African year. Institutional Resources for the Americans and Jewish Americans. Study of African-American Acknowledgments and Jewish Relations Marjorie Kovler Institute for Black-Jewish Relations The librarians of all the institutions I vis­ I. Libraries 2027 Massachusetts Avenue, NW ited were friendly and eager to make their Washington, D.C. treasures available. In fact, the librarians The hours given for the libraries are win­ (202) 387-2800 were essential to finding the treasures. I ter hours; they change during the sum­ would like to thank Dina Abramowicz mer. It is best to call ahead. Wilstein Institute of Jewish Policy Studies (VIVO), Zalman Alpert (YU), Leonard University of Judaism Gold (NYPL), Fruma Mahrer (VIVO), Yael Jewish Division, New York Public Library 15600 Mulholland Drive Penkower (JTS}, Berlina Robinson Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street Los Angeles, CA 90077 (Schomburg), Marek Web (VIVO), and New York, NY 10018 Mary Yearwood (Schomburg). (212) 930-0601 Ill. Seders Hours: Tuesday 10-7:15 References Wednesday 11 -5:45 The following groupssponsor African­ Thursday-Saturday 10-5:45 Americanl Jewish seders. Adoff, Arnold. All the Colors of the Race. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1982. Jewish Theological Seminary The Black-Jewish seder was first orga­ nized in 1980. Bibliographic Guide to Black Studies. Boston: of America, Library G.K. Hall, 1975-. Annual. 3080 Broadway at 122nd Street New York, NY 10027 Anti-Defamation League Davis, Lenwood. Black-Jewish Relations in the (212) 678-8080 One Lincoln Plaza, Suite 301 United States, 1752-1984: A Selected Bibli­ Hours: Monday-Thursday 8 am -1O pm Boston, MA 02111 ography. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, Friday 8-4 Att'n.: BJ Events 1984. Sunday 9:30 am-10 pm The following groups sponsored the Jew­ The Kaiser Index to Black Resources, Schomburg Center for Research ish-Haitian seder, held in 1993. 1948-1986. Brooklyn, NY: Carlson Publishing, 1992. 5 vols. in Black Culture New York Public Library Boston Jewish Sanctuary Network Kaufman, Jonathan. Broken Alliance: The Tur­ 515 Malcolm X Blvd. P. O. Box 441361 bulent Times Between Blacks and Jews in (Lenox Ave. at 135th Street) Somerville, MA 02144 America. New York: Scribner, 1988. New York, NY 10037 (617) 739-1957 (212) 491-2218 (Reference) Landsberg, Lynne. Common Road to Justice: A Hours: Monday-Wednesday 12-8 New Jewish Agenda Programming Manual for Blacks and Jews. Friday-Saturday 10-6 P. O. Box 390787 Washington, D.C.: The Kovler Institute for (212) 491-2224 (Archives) Cambridge, MA 02139 Black-Jewish Relations, 1991. Same opening hours; closes at 5 (617) 623-1921 Mandelbaum, Pili. You Be Me, I'll Be You. Brooklyn, NY: Kane/Miller, 1990. Translated Yeshiva University Haiti Communications Project from French. Original title: Noire comme le Mendel Gottesman Library 11 Inman Street cate, blanc comme la lune. 500 West 1 85th Street Cambridge, MA 02139 New York, NY 10033 (617) 868-2900 Phillips, William M. An Unillustrious Alliance: (212) 960-5382 The African American and Jewish American Hours: Monday-Thursday 9-1am Communities. Westport, CT: Greenwood Friday 9-12:30 pm Press, 1991. Sunday 12 noon-1 am Betty Kaplan Gubert was for 21 years the Head of the General Research and Refer­ Polacco, Patricia. Chicken Sunday. New York: Philomel Books, 1992. VIVO Institute for Jewish Research ence Division of the Schomburg Center 555 West 57th Street for Research in Black Culture of the New . Mrs. Katz and Tush. New York: Ban­ Suite 1100 York Public Library. Retired in 1991, she tam Books, 1992. New York, NY 10019 serves as art editor for MultiCultural (212) 246-6080 Review. She has compiled Invisible Rosen, Michael J. Elijah's Angel: A Story tor Hours: Monday-Thursday 9:30-5:30 Wings: An Annotated Bibliography on Chanukah and Christmas. New York: Har­ [This is an interim address. YIVO is Blacks in Aviation 1916-1993 (Green­ court Brace Jovanovich, 1992. scheduled to move. -Ed.] wood, 1994). Salzman, Jack. Bridges and Boundaries: African Americans and American Jews. New York: George Braziller in association with the Jewish Museum, 1992.

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