Anti-Semitic Courses Won't Count

The history department at Wellesley College has publicly repudiated an Africana Studies professor and will refuse to offer history credit for his courses starting next fall.

In addition, 124 of 223 faculty members signed a statement repudiating a book by the professor, Anthony Martin, "for its ad hominem attacks upon members of the Wellesley College community, for its racial and ethnic stereotyping, and for its anti-Semitism."

Martin used the book, The Jewish Onslaught: Despatches from the Wellesley Battlefront, last fall in a course on Africans in Antiquity and said he will probably assign it in another course on the history of the West Indies next fall.

Martin's courses will still count for credit in the Africans Studies department, and toward the College's multinational studies requirement.

But some faculty members are considering denying credit for Martin's courses in the Africana Studies as well.

The history department felt Martin's books and course syllabi did not reflect the work of a professional historian, according to Jonathan Knudsen, the department chair.

Knudsen also expressed concern that Martin may teach what they considered to be anti-Semitic and bigoted views as fact.

Martin said he was unsurprised by the faculty's actions.

"The whole thing is totally irrational," Martin said. "But the onslaught has now become the norm, so new developments don't faze me."

Wellesley College President Diana C. Walsh denounced Martin's book three months ago. The faculty's action supported her stand.

This is not Martin's first brush with controversy in the college's history department.

Last year, he assigned a book published by the Nation of Islam. That book maintains that Jews had a major part in the African slave trade.

The history faculty voted to deny history credit for that course last year.

Guy Maclean Rogers, an associate professor of history who voted to deny departmental credit for any course taught by Martin and who helped frame the statement, said he saw no potential infringement on Martin's freedom because Martin could still teach the course.

"This is part of a systematic attempt to introduce racism and anti-Semitism into the curriculum" that the faculty should oppose.

This article was compiled using wire dispatches.