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Human Rights Official Calls for a Black-jewish United Front to Fight Against Racism

December 20, 1984
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New York State Commissioner of Human Rights-designate Douglas White urged Jewish leaders here to unite with the Black community in efforts to “fight racism, anti-Semitism and the oppression of all people.”

Calling for a Black-Jewish United front against international racism, White told a meeting of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of New York that “We should join with one another to pressure for the release of Jews in the Soviet Union and divestment by corporations doing business in South Africa.”

He expressed optimism that the Black-Jewish alliance would be renewed for the sake of generations to come. He remarked that the open exchange of ideas taking place at the JCRC’s General Assembly meeting constituted an important step towards the formation of a Black-Jewish alliance. White will succeed Carl McCall as Human Rights Commissioner.

Joining White at the forum was Marcella Maxwell, chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights of New York City. Maxwell asserted that discrimination as witnessed in both public and private institutions, could only be ended through the joint efforts of leaders in both the Jewish and Black communities.

The JCRC’s General Assembly meeting is a special forum offering opinion molders the opportunity to discuss with members of the New York metropolitan area Jewish community issues of mutual concern and importance. The JCRC is the central resource and coordinating body for 37 major New York Metropolitan area Jewish organizations.

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