A New York Times survey of the civil rights struggle in Philadelphia today cited charges of anti-Semitism made against Cecil B. Moore, president of the Philadelphia chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
He was quoted as having said that “if people of a Semitic origin continue to exploit Negroes, I’ll exploit them as anti-American. If you want to call that anti Semitic, then I’m anti-Semitic.” He was also reported to have said that he did not know a Jew in the civil rights field “who wasn’t a phony. “
His statements drew a prompt rebuke from Bishop Stephen Spottswood, chairman of the NAACP national board. The Bishop, in a letter, told the Philadelphia Negro leader that “the members of the executive committee were unanimous in their shock at the anti-Jewish statements attributed to you and voted without dissent to condemn this sentiment, if accurately reported, on the part to any NAACP official–local, regional or national. “
Asked by the Times if the reports about his alleged anti-Semitism were correct, Mr. Moore replied: “I’m against everybody who exploits another, because I think exploitation is anti-American. Jews exploit, Negroes exploit, everybody exploits. “
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
