Al Vorspan and 16 rabbis spent a summer night in jail thanks to St. Augustine, Florida police department in 1964. He was booked for ordering lunch. Needless to say he didn’t get to eat his sandwich. Listen into his side of the story.
Al Vorspan is the senior vice-president emeritus of the Union for Reform Judaism and founding director of the Commission on Social Action. He has authored and co-authored many books including Jewish Dimensions of Social Justice with Rabbi David Saperstein.
I've heard this story many times - frequently from Al himself - and included it quite successfully a few times when I was addressing African-American audiences on Martin Luther King, Jr. day. The celebration takes place in a black church, and most of the congregants know me (Steubenville is a small town!). My references to Al and the Rabbis marching with Dr. King never fails to produce a "I never knew that" response - and grateful and highly favorable comments from many individuals after the service. It's amazing to me that so many African Americans are so unaware of the civil rights history that Jews made such important contributions to in the recent past.
dcc said:
I find it interesting that Jews think the contributions of our community to the Civil Rights fight in the 1960s are enough to sustain a relationship more than forty years later. It is true that Al and his band of rabbis worked hard for civil rights in the South, but the voices of our leaders aren't enough to keep the fight for equal rights alive.
We all have work to do to insure that everyone, Jewish and African American, remember what happened and who was involved. However it is equally as important for Jews and all allies for equality to stay involved in creating a more just society for everyone.
Anonymous Black Woman said:
Actually... What the Jews did during Civil Rights IS enough to sustain a relationship.
They did the right thing when doing the right thing was not only extemely unpopular, but also extremely dangerous.
I will NEVER forget what they did. They could have stayed neutral and not gotten involved. But too many Jews were beaten and killed alongside Blacks that their contributions, past and present, cannot be ignored.
RL said:
As a five-year-old I watched Rabbi Vorspan get arrested on tv at Monson's Motor Lodge in St. Augustine. I watched it on tv that evening from the den of my New York home. I watched because my favorite uncle (my mother's brother) was one of the rabbis arrested with him that day. Protesting back then isn't like protesting today. It was dangerous. I don't think young people today realize how brave Dr. King, Ralph Abernathy, Al Vorspan, Israel Dresner, and my uncle Clyde "Mickey" Sills were. They and many others risked their lives to help make our country the greatest country in the world. They were heroes. As a five-year old, I had demoninzed James Brock (the muriatric acid pouring manager of Monson's Motor Lodge. I still thought of him as a demon when I visited the motel in 1998. It's only in the last month or so as I have read more on the incident and more about Mr. Brock that I actually feel some sadness for him. He missed a great opportunity to redeem himself before he died. I wish he had expressed some remorse for his actions and behavior (I don't believe he ever did). From what I read about him, it appears he had some good qualities. People are not all good or all bad.
Al Vorspan and 16 rabbis spent a summer night in jail thanks to St. Augustine, Florida police department in 1964. He was booked for ordering lunch. Needless to say he didn’t get to eat his sandwich. Listen into his side of the story.
Print
Email
Comment
I've heard this story many times - frequently from Al himself - and included it quite successfully a few times when I was addressing African-American audiences on Martin Luther King, Jr. day. The celebration takes place in a black church, and most of the congregants know me (Steubenville is a small town!). My references to Al and the Rabbis marching with Dr. King never fails to produce a "I never knew that" response - and grateful and highly favorable comments from many individuals after the service. It's amazing to me that so many African Americans are so unaware of the civil rights history that Jews made such important contributions to in the recent past.