Blacks, Jews Discuss Identities

The Adams House Lower Common Room was packed last night as black and Jewish students came together with Professor of Afro-American Studies Cornel R. West '74 to discuss the common experience of being a minority at Harvard.

The event was organized by members of the Black Student Association (BSA), the Black Mens Forum (BMF), Association of Black Radcliffe Women and Hillel.

According to Brian J. Rosenthal '00, a co-chair of Hillel's Inter-Ethnic Committee, was a mutual desire by the campus's black and Jewish groups to open a dialogue.

"The feeling has been in the air for a while [along with] the motivation," he said. "We weren't sure if this would continue after today, but I think now that it'll definitely continue."

West told the audience that the evening's inter-ethnic discourse was a very positive step for the Harvard community.

"I'm deeply inspired by all of you wrestling with the situation between Jewish and black brothers and sisters," West said. "We have to make a difference between chit-chat and dialogue where our souls are put on the table."

West went on to cite Martin Hubert on the ideal that a productive dialogue should be produced.

"You should be a little different when you leave a dialogue than when you entered," he said. "We are all part of some tradition just as we are all part of a family."

The evening was full of candid discussion of life at Harvard.

"I don't think people discriminate against Jews [at Harvard]," said Steven M. Laufer '99, the other co-chair of Hillel's Inter-Ethnic Committee. "I think Jewish identity is a more personal issue while the black community has to face racial discrimination."

Rosenthal emphasized that he didn't want the discussion to be focused on "latent discrimination," but did discuss a recent incident when outside Clavery Hall several of his black friends were accosted by police officers and repeatedly asked, "Are you sure you go to Harvard?"

West related this experience to a similarincident during his undergraduate years in whichhe and his two roommates were dragged down to theCambridge Jail and held for 18 hours after a whitegirl was raped.

Others put the experience in more explicitterms.

"I am always black; there's a mixture ofeverything [a mixture of races], but people willperceive me as black," said Treina D. Fabre '01."I see myself as a black young woman going toHarvard, not a Harvard student who is a blackyoung woman."

Although discrimination is not as blatant inthe Jewish community, some said assimilation canat times be a problem.

"I remember when I went to a religious dayschool, the other kids would make fun of mebecause I didn't look Jewish," said Joel B. Pollak'99. "I think assimilation is [creating asituation of] hiding outward symbols of Judaism."

Jason D. Williamson '98, president of the BSA,said he is disturbed by assimilation in the blackcommunity.

"I think the scariest thing about assimilationis that it doesn't work," he said. "What pisses meoff [is when] people here try to deny beingblack.

West related this experience to a similarincident during his undergraduate years in whichhe and his two roommates were dragged down to theCambridge Jail and held for 18 hours after a whitegirl was raped.

Others put the experience in more explicitterms.

"I am always black; there's a mixture ofeverything [a mixture of races], but people willperceive me as black," said Treina D. Fabre '01."I see myself as a black young woman going toHarvard, not a Harvard student who is a blackyoung woman."

Although discrimination is not as blatant inthe Jewish community, some said assimilation canat times be a problem.

"I remember when I went to a religious dayschool, the other kids would make fun of mebecause I didn't look Jewish," said Joel B. Pollak'99. "I think assimilation is [creating asituation of] hiding outward symbols of Judaism."

Jason D. Williamson '98, president of the BSA,said he is disturbed by assimilation in the blackcommunity.

"I think the scariest thing about assimilationis that it doesn't work," he said. "What pisses meoff [is when] people here try to deny beingblack.