By: Jonathan Feldstein
In a candid, insightful, and wide-ranging conversation on “Inspiration from Zion,” Dana White, founder of the Randolph L. White Foundation, communications specialist, and a former Pentagon spokesperson, delved into the roots of antisemitism within the Black community in the United States. Drawing from her personal experiences and her 2024 article, “Why HBCUs Are Key to Fighting Antisemitism,” White highlighted how historical shifts, cultural influences, and educational institutions have fueled division. Yet, she argued, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) hold immense potential as battlegrounds for reconciliation, echoing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
White’s insights stem from her family’s multigenerational story, which underscores the once-strong Black-Jewish alliances. Her grandfather, born in 1896, rose from a janitor at the University of Virginia Hospital to a managerial role (the first ever such role there for a Black man) thanks to a Jewish doctor, Dr. Goodwin. This act of recognition embodied the Jewish ethos of tikkun olam—repairing the world— remains central to her and her family’s identity as it propelled her family’s trajectory. Her parents, graduates of Howard University in the 1960s, cherished fond memories of their Jewish neighbors and faculty, including those who fled Nazi Germany and found refuge at HBCUs. At a time where quotas existed for Jews in many areas across America, these institutions, White noted, saved about 50 German Jews with visas during the Holocaust, fostering a shared history of common destiny and resilience.
White highlighted the post-civil rights era where Blacks and Jews were close allies. The reality of the Jewish role in the civil rights movement is largely not remembered by anyone under 80 she said. Yet the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. echoed this reality on March 26, 1968, days before he was assassinated. “Probably more than any other ethnic group, the Jewish community has been sympathetic and has stood as an ally to the Negro in his struggle for justice.”
Yet following King’s assassination and the civil rights movement was a turning point for the unraveling of these positive relations, and seeded rising antisemitism in the Black community. Desegregation in the 1970s led to a “melting away” of familiar ties. Middle-class Blacks and Jews moved out of urban areas, leaving vulnerable populations amid economic decline, drug epidemics, and mass incarceration. This vacuum bred anger and a victim mindset, amplified by the Nation of Islam’s hateful rhetoric. White described how figures like Louis Farrakhan propagated misinformation, such as exaggerated claims of Jewish involvement in the slave trade, which gained traction organically; in barbershops, salons, and family gatherings without counter-narratives because once close personal relationships as her family experienced had eroded.
HBCUs, once havens of Black excellence, became influential conduits for this shift. White contrasted her parents’ positive experiences at Howard—where a significant Jewish presence promoted mutual respect—with her brother’s experience in the early 1990s. By then, HBCUs had transformed into “breeding grounds for revenge history,” a term White uses for distorted narratives seeking retribution against perceived oppressors. Nation of Islam newspapers circulated on campuses, blending empowerment messages with vitriol against Jews as “the other” or “super white people.” Cultural elements like hip-hop reinforced these tropes. Intersectionality and cultural relativism, emerging in these academic spaces, further alienated Jews by framing them within oppressive structures.
Despite producing only 10% of Black bachelor’s degree holders, HBCUs wield outsized influence, graduating 80% of Black judges, 50% of Black lawyers, and 40% of Black engineers and doctors. This leadership pipeline means ideas incubated there permeate Black culture and mainstream America. White lamented the drift: many HBCU students today have never met a Jew, leading to or at least not having any counteractive balance of the demonization of Jews. She shared stories of sponsoring Black students to visit Israel, where they discovered shared family dynamics during Shabbat dinners, dispelling these myths.
To reverse this, White advocates leveraging HBCUs as anti-antisemitism hubs through deliberate re-engagement. Jewish communities should invest in campuses—via funding like Michael Bloomberg’s recent commitments—and foster personal connections. “It’s not one-offs,” she emphasized. Through sustained dialogues, shared meals, and educational programs can rebuild familiarity, positive changes can be made. Breaking bread humanizes the “other,” making it harder to hate. White envisions local partnerships, like those at Bowie State University in Maryland, where Jewish and Black groups convene for honest conversations followed by communal events.
Central to White’s vision is reviving the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose legacy she believes has been diluted. King, a staunch Zionist, collaborated closely with Jewish leaders like Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and benefited from Jewish support in the civil rights movement. His final speech evoked the “Promised Land,” drawing from Exodus—a narrative that fueled Black spirituals and faith during slavery. White speculated King would be disappointed today: in frayed Black-Jewish bonds post-desegregation, the pervasive victimhood language among those far removed from Jim Crow, declining Black literacy rates, and indifference to antisemitism. He rose with Jewish backing for organizations like the NAACP, yet modern divisions ignore this shared fight for justice. King would decry how politics overshadowed faith in Black churches, urging a return to Old Testament teachings of hope and self-reliance.
Following her recent visit to Israel where she witnessed the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre and ensuing war, White’s call is particularly urgent amid surges in antisemitism. She noted that these began the very next day, on October 8, with masses around the world blaming the victim, and she even sees antisemitism as more insidious and permissive than racism. Wearing a Star of David in solidarity, she urges non-Jews to speak out, emphasizing Israel’s unparalleled efforts to protect civilians. By harnessing HBCUs’ cultural clout for education and alliance-building, the Black community can honor King’s vision, repairing divides through dialogue and mutual recognition. As White reflected, small acts—like Dr. Goodwin’s promotion of her grandfather—create ripples. In an era of ignorance, HBCUs offer a pathway to empathy, ensuring antisemitism’s roots are uprooted for generations to come.
Be part of the full conversation by video here, and by audio here.
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