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Dr. Sterling Brown, Nccj President, Worried by Rising Negro-jewish Tensions

November 18, 1968
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Dr. Sterling W. Brown, president of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, is worried about “rising passions of Negro anti-Semitism” and “retaliatory feelings among Jews.”

In his annual report prepared for delivery to members of the Conference’s board. Dr. Brown called for a new assertion of brotherhood. He said, “racism of any kind will lead us into the wilderness of anarchy. Anti-brotherhood sentiments have set kettles of Negro anti-Semitism boiling.” The NCCJ tomorrow will begin its 40th anniversary meeting here.

“No Jews or Negroes, other than those who speak up boldly for brotherhood and practice it, will be able to cool the rising passions of Negro anti-Semitism or lessen the retaliatory feeling among Jews, before this needless, senseless prejudice brings incalculable hurt to the two American minority groups who can and should be of maximum help to each other,” Mr. Brown said.

The NCCJ board of trustees has named two new national co-chairmen. They are Oscar S. Straus II, son of Roger W. Straus, a NCCJ founder, representing Judaism; and William F. May, a Protestant. Still representing Roman Catholicism is former Ambassador Robert D. Murphy. They are the organization’s three top lay leaders. Mr. Straus succeeds Admiral Lewis L. Strauss, co-chairman since 1957; Mr. May replaces Carrol M. Shanks, a co-chairman since 1960. The board also agreed to add a fourth national co-chairman representing Eastern Orthodoxy, which the NCCJ believes has become a fourth major faith in the United States.

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