This morning we held the press preview of our new exhibition, Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges. The following are excerpts of Bonnie Gurewitsch (the curator’s) remarks about what makes this exhibition so special. Seen here: Prof. Ernst Borinski.
Please also visit the website about the exhibition.
“For me, this exhibition has been a voyage of discovery.
As I pursued the research into individual stories and the backgrounds of the players in the story, I was fascinated by what I learned.
I discovered that within the poverty and material disadvantages of black life in the south, there was a very rich and positive culture of self-reliance, hard work, strong moral and religious values, and a firm conviction that education was a key to advancement and escape from poverty. These are the same values that generations of children of immigrants grow up with - they are also traditional Jewish values. So I realized that this story is universal, as well as specific.
I was privileged to meet Professors Lore and Donald Rasmussen last summer, a few months before Lore died. She was very frail and it was an effort for her to speak, but I could see in her eyes the spark of independence and creative thinking that led her to teach with what was called "unorthodox" methods. Realizing that her students had grown up with silence regarding their ancestral heritage, she took them on field trips that would show them what their forbears had experienced. Compensating for their limited cultural opportunities, she arranged for some of her students to do student teaching in New York City, opening their eyes to new cultural experiences and bringing them in contact with new teaching methodologies.
This same disregard for conventional methods is evident in the approach of Dr. Viktor Lowenfeld, who trained black artists and art educators to look within themselves for what they needed to express, rather than imitate others. He taught his black students to know and value their African heritage, and validated their use of their history and culture in their art.
Others, such as Professors Georg and Wilma Iggers, became deeply involved in the Civil Rights movement. Posing as graduate students doing research, the couple investigated conditions in white and black schools in Little Rock, AK and New Orleans, LA. The statistical information that they gathered was used by the NAACP as part of the legal effort to overturn school segregation. In appreciation for Georg's pivotal role in the NAACP, he was invited to join a Black fraternity at Philander Smith College, which honors him to this day. In later years he engaged in similar efforts to create understanding and communication between the two Germanys, which earned him a medal from the German government.
Like the Iggers, some professors became part of the college community. Professor Ernst Borinski never married, and remained at Tougaloo until his death. His students and colleagues became his family, sharing social events, challenges and triumphs. Professor Ernst Manasse also remained committed to North Carolina Central University, never leaving the community that welcomed him and his family, offering professional satisfaction and dearly held friendships.
Jewish scholars came to the United States as refugees, without any material advantages, not knowing the language or the culture to which they were transplanted. They not only worked hard to succeed as teachers, they also contributed to the intellectual life of this country and the world with their academic research and publications. By sharing their lives with students at the black colleges, and by setting high standards for them, they gave their students the tools for success. They educated a generation of black professors, professionals, and community leaders, who in turn have shared their insights, discoveries and talents with the rest of the world.
Annie Ruth Perryman inscribed the flyleaf of her Bible, which is on exhibit, with the words – “Expect miracles.” Having just celebrated the holiday of Passover, we remember the miracle of deliverance from slavery to freedom. Dr. Joyce Ladner, Mrs. Perryman’s daughter, described the strong faith of her parents, “which promised them a hereafter and the hope of a better life to come.” This message resonates strongly for us at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, echoing our motto, “There is hope for your future.”
Please also visit the website about the exhibition.
“For me, this exhibition has been a voyage of discovery.
As I pursued the research into individual stories and the backgrounds of the players in the story, I was fascinated by what I learned.
I discovered that within the poverty and material disadvantages of black life in the south, there was a very rich and positive culture of self-reliance, hard work, strong moral and religious values, and a firm conviction that education was a key to advancement and escape from poverty. These are the same values that generations of children of immigrants grow up with - they are also traditional Jewish values. So I realized that this story is universal, as well as specific.
I was privileged to meet Professors Lore and Donald Rasmussen last summer, a few months before Lore died. She was very frail and it was an effort for her to speak, but I could see in her eyes the spark of independence and creative thinking that led her to teach with what was called "unorthodox" methods. Realizing that her students had grown up with silence regarding their ancestral heritage, she took them on field trips that would show them what their forbears had experienced. Compensating for their limited cultural opportunities, she arranged for some of her students to do student teaching in New York City, opening their eyes to new cultural experiences and bringing them in contact with new teaching methodologies.
This same disregard for conventional methods is evident in the approach of Dr. Viktor Lowenfeld, who trained black artists and art educators to look within themselves for what they needed to express, rather than imitate others. He taught his black students to know and value their African heritage, and validated their use of their history and culture in their art.
Others, such as Professors Georg and Wilma Iggers, became deeply involved in the Civil Rights movement. Posing as graduate students doing research, the couple investigated conditions in white and black schools in Little Rock, AK and New Orleans, LA. The statistical information that they gathered was used by the NAACP as part of the legal effort to overturn school segregation. In appreciation for Georg's pivotal role in the NAACP, he was invited to join a Black fraternity at Philander Smith College, which honors him to this day. In later years he engaged in similar efforts to create understanding and communication between the two Germanys, which earned him a medal from the German government.
Like the Iggers, some professors became part of the college community. Professor Ernst Borinski never married, and remained at Tougaloo until his death. His students and colleagues became his family, sharing social events, challenges and triumphs. Professor Ernst Manasse also remained committed to North Carolina Central University, never leaving the community that welcomed him and his family, offering professional satisfaction and dearly held friendships.
Jewish scholars came to the United States as refugees, without any material advantages, not knowing the language or the culture to which they were transplanted. They not only worked hard to succeed as teachers, they also contributed to the intellectual life of this country and the world with their academic research and publications. By sharing their lives with students at the black colleges, and by setting high standards for them, they gave their students the tools for success. They educated a generation of black professors, professionals, and community leaders, who in turn have shared their insights, discoveries and talents with the rest of the world.
Annie Ruth Perryman inscribed the flyleaf of her Bible, which is on exhibit, with the words – “Expect miracles.” Having just celebrated the holiday of Passover, we remember the miracle of deliverance from slavery to freedom. Dr. Joyce Ladner, Mrs. Perryman’s daughter, described the strong faith of her parents, “which promised them a hereafter and the hope of a better life to come.” This message resonates strongly for us at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, echoing our motto, “There is hope for your future.”
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