Sufi Abdul Hamid, so-called “black Hitler” of Harlem, yesterday in an interview defied the newly formed Merchants Association of Harlem to drive him out of the Negro community.
The interview was lent a somewhat military—if not Fascist—atmosphere by a resplendent uniform Hamid was wearing. It consisted of a bright green shirt, black breeches, black leather puttees and Sam Browne belt. He also wore a white turban.
This regalia, he explained, was the uniform of the National Black League of America, of which he is chief.
He lashed out against the Merchants Association, which was organized Sunday to fight the alleged coercive campaign of Hamid to force Harlem Jewish merchants to hire members of his Negro Industrial Clerical Alliance.
EVEN U. S. CAN’T OUST ME
“Do you think I can be driven out of Harlem by 300 Jewish merchants?” he asked rhetorically, not stopping for an answer. “Why, the United States couldn’t get rid of me. The government spent between $5,000 and $7,000 investigating me. They deported me six or seven times, but they can’t get rid of me.”
He hinted broadly of “powerful Oriental secret societies” which are backing him, and smiled contemptuously at mention of the association.
“It is my personal opinion,” Hamid said, “that some unemployed gentleman in Harlem found an opportunity to collect a few
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.
