The Unknown Story of the Jewish Lawyers Who Fought Jim Crow with Stephen Whitfield

Sunday, December 11, 2022, 10:30 am
In-person only

RSVP by Friday, December 9, to 

L.E.D. Series: LEARN, EXPLORE, DISCUSS – Shed a little light

Get ready for another extraordinary talk from Steve Whitfield. We’re delighted to have him once again as a featured speaker for our L.E.D series.

Professor Whitfield taught American Studies at Brandeis University from 1972-2017 and is now Brandeis Professor Emeritus. He has won a number of major teaching awards and is the author of ten books on twentieth-century American history and on American Jewish history. Over the years, he has shared his insights on many topics with Kerem Shalom members, including politics, culture, music, and Jewish history.

Steve’s talk will focus on the critical role of Jewish lawyers in the civil rights movement during the 1960s. In Professor Whitfield’s words:

“The quest for racial justice in the United States has been a constant struggle, with successes and failures, triumphs and limitations. One clear historic victory consists of the extinction of legally- sanctioned white supremacy in the South, a campaign that was mounted not only in the streets but also in the courtroom. In the early 1960s, a few hundred attorneys came from outside the region to apply their professional skills, taking risks and courting danger—out of an idealistic desire to make America more democratic. Nearly all of these lawyers were white; nearly all of them were Jews. What they managed to accomplish has never been adequately told. The presentation at Kerem Shalom in December is intended to offer a partial remedy.”

Light refreshments will be served after the presentation in the Social Hall.