Charges that “Jewish racism” in Hollywood has held back black entertainers and producers have been leveled at the national convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Pointing to the alleged influence of Jewish executives over film and music distribution, one speaker at a panel discussion Tuesday urged black leaders to “call a summit meeting with the Hollywood Jewish community in the same spirit that Jews have called for summits” to probe controversial statements by anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela and Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan.
“If Jewish leaders can complain of black anti-Semitism, our leaders should certainly raise the issue of the century-old problem of Jewish racism in Hollywood,” said LeGrand Clegg, chairman of the Coalition Against Black Exploitation and city attorney of Compton, Calif.
According to the Los Angeles Times, another speaker, Maria Gibbs, said it was time for African-Americans to admit that “the Jewish system in Hollywood was not set up for us.” Gibbs is a producer and the star of the NBC sitcom “227.”
While criticizing black movie and television stars for not backing young film makers of their own race, Jim Brown, an actor-producer, charged that black audiences were “supporting the very (industry) that excludes you.”
Hollywood, Brown told members of the 80-year-old black civil rights organization, has five “isms,” namely “nepotism, sexism, racism, cronyism and good-ol’-boy-ism.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
