NCJW, West Morris Section, will present a timely and free Zoom series on “The History of Extremism in the United States and Its Impact on the Jewish Community” on Thursdays, April 3, 10 and 17, at 1 p.m. The series in under the auspices of the organization’s Our Jewish World program, co-chaired by Ilene Dorf Manahan and Melanie Levitan, both of Morristown.
Dr, Angela West
Leading the series will be Dr. Angela West, an adjunct professor at Drew University’s Holocaust Studies Department and a distinguished scholar and researcher specializing in Holocaust and genocide studies, white nationalism, far-right extremism and gender issues in the US.
In her April 3 talk, “The German American Bund and the Fight Against Fascism,” Dr. West will discuss the 1930s’ German American Bund and its youth movement as it sought to gain the support of American citizens–particularly young people–for the Nazi cause both here and abroad. Integral to its strategy, the organization propagated antisemitic and hateful messages throughout the country, believing that Americans would embrace Nazi ideologies. Dr. West will highlight key moments when Americans opposed the rise of fascism in the United States.
Her second presentation, on April 10, will focus on “The 1960s’ Mississippi Klan: Homegrown Terrorism and Interfaith Resistance.” The third iteration of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) emerged in response to the growing calls for an end to segregation and the momentum of the civil rights movement in the United States. As Dr. West notes, “In the face of domestic terrorism, Jewish and Black American communities united to confront the hatred and threat of the KKK.” During this seminar, Dr. West will discuss Meridian, Mississippi, where the most dangerous unit of the KKK chapters was formed, the key individuals involved in the terrorism, and those who courageously stood against them.
For her third session, on April 17, titled “Beyond the Fringe: How Extremism Is Shaping the United States’ Present,” Dr. West will spotlight how extremism in the United States has been increasing over the past ten years: “Extremist movements have perpetuated antisemitism, racism, xenophobia and other forms of hatred in our political and online spaces. One aspect that experts often overlook in contemporary studies is the role of women who promote and support these hateful movements, as the image of such groups is typically associated with the men who lead them.” Dr. West will discuss and analyze trends in extremism in the United States, highlighting some of the key women involved. She will also address how often less acknowledged extremism on the far left has changed the conversation and impacted present studies.
Dr. West teaches courses on Jewish Women and the Holocaust, Children and the Holocaust, and American Extremism. The speaker is also a consulting historian, museum curator, and currently is manager of the Holocaust Remembrance Center at Temple Sinai in Summit. Her recent exhibit documents the stories of child survivors of the Holocaust who now reside in New Jersey. Dr. West is dedicated to advancing public understanding of the Holocaust, far-right extremism, and its implications for contemporary society.
There is no charge for attending Dr. West’s seminars. However, to receive the Zoom link, registration is required by e-mailing iadpr@aol.com.