February is Black History Month and for the Jewish community, that means a time to reflect upon the many historic instances of African American and Jewish unity. From the civil rights movement to a variety of iconic cultural events, it is important to remember the vast impact the African American community has had within our community as well as around the world.

There are many historical instances of alliance and support between the African American and Jewish communities. The profound connection between these two communities has often stemmed from persecution, discrimination and the fight for equality. These two have stood side by side many times in the pursuit of social justice. In the face of constant bigotry and oppression, it’s essential that targeted groups have mutual support to hold each other up.

One of the most famous moments of African American and Jewish unity is the march on Selma, Alabama when Rabbi Joshua Heschel stood shoulder to shoulder with Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Junior. Heschel and King were big advocates for each other’s causes and created a much needed alliance during the civil rights movement.

Even farther back in the 1910-1930s was Sears Roebuck founder and son of German Jewish immigrants, Julius Rosenwald. Rosenwald provided over $70 million to build and repair schools in African American neighborhoods in the South. His donations helped construct over 5,300 schools in 14 states.

In 1942 there was the “Double V Campaign for Racial Equality at Home and Victory Against the Nazis Abroad.” The 761st Tank Battalion and 183rd Combat Engineers, both all-Black units, helped liberate the Buchenwald and Dachau Nazi concentration camps. In the 1970s, an organization was formed called BASIC- Black Americans in Support of Israel. They organized trips to Israel and helped educate African American communities on Israel and Zionism.

Representative John Lewis was an extremely outspoken advocate who helped establish the Atlanta Black-Jewish Coalition and reinvigorate the bond between these two communities. Lewis was also a founding co-chair for the Congressional Caucus on Black-Jewish Relations. In 2019, prior to his death, Lewis spoke out against the anti-Israel BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement. Another example is in 2015, 13 Jewish groups called for the creation of a “Shabbat of Solidarity” with the African American community in an effort to solidify their unity.

More recently, in 2020 when there were antisemitic remarks made by some famous athletes, Zach Banner, an African American player on the Pittsburgh Steelers, used his voice to urge people to educate themselves and stand for equality. Banner said he first started to understand anti-semitism during his time at USC and in a nationally Jewish fraternity. What started as a statement of him defending his friends, turned into a much larger example of how communities need to stand up for each other.

For Black History Month, let us look back on these incredible examples of solidarity between the Black and Jewish communities and allow it to inspire us moving forward. May we all learn from our histories, continue to educate ourselves and move into a future where we can take collective action and have meaningful conversations. We must all continue to fight against injustice, prejudice and discrimination and remember that we are always stronger when we work together.