Dr. King’s Pro-Jewish Legacy Is Under Attack

January 20, 2026

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Activists Distort Civil Rights to Justify Anti-Jewish Hatred

On the day that honors the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., some anti-Israel activists have exploited his memory to promote their own political agendas – many that alienate Jewish Americans. Language long used to demonize Jews is being adopted across a range of ideological movements – contributing to a rise in intimidation, exclusion and attacks against Jewish communities nationwide. These trends show how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy is being distorted and abused in contemporary activism to fuel antizionism and antisemitism – and damage the historically strong and collaborative Black-Jewish alliance.

Antizionists are Hijacking MLK Day Events

Organizations that claim the language of civil rights are increasingly using MLK Day to exclude Jews from civic participation. Alliance San Diego disinvited Rabbi Hanan Leberman from giving a benediction blessing at this year’s All Peoples Celebration – because of his “Zionist views.” The event’s organizers present their mission as an “inclusive democracy where everyone can participate fully with dignity.”

The San Diego Board of Rabbis and Cantors condemned the decision: “There was never a litmus test for Jewish clergy to speak at this event. This year’s decision sends a message that there are conditions placed on our participation in public life, that our identities must be edited or disavowed to be deemed acceptable.”

The American-Israeli rabbi, who served in an Israeli counterterrorism unit, responded:

Across multiple cities, some anti-Israel activist groups have repurposed MLK Day programming into ideological teach-ins marketed to families with children as young as six. NYC Educators for Palestine hosted a “Palestine Teach-In.” NYC Public School Alliance President Karen Feldman called the event an “attempt to indoctrinate young people into hating Jews.”

Philadelphia Educators for Palestine, the Students for Justice in Palestine Coalition, Racial Justice Philly and the Asian Arts Initiative promoted “From Philly To Palestine: How Our Struggles Intertwine.” An event flyer falsely claimed that American federal aid to Israel is responsible for a lack of state funding for public schools.

These incidents reflect a broader trend in which Jewish participation is increasingly conditioned on political conformity unrelated to the purpose of public commemoration.

Tropes and Attacks Against Jews Reemerge Across Ideological Lines

Black-Jewish alliances were forged in response to shared explicit threats from organized extremist movements. Cooperation during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s emerged in response to violent attacks, discrimination and inflammatory rhetoric against Black and Jewish Americans. White supremacists – especially the Ku Klux Klan – were the main instigators. Earlier alliances formed because of threats posed by Nazi and fascist movements in the U.S. and Europe.

A bomb planted by the KKK severely damaged the administrative offices of the Beth Israel Synagogue in 1967 in Jackson, Mississippi. The white supremacist group also detonated a bomb in front of home of the congregation’s rabbi, Dr. Perry Nussbaum – a civil rights activist. Following the synagogue bombing, the Greater Jackson Clergy Alliance – the first racially integrated association of Protestants, Catholics and Jews in MS – marched in the Walk of Penance to the synagogue to show support. White supremacists bombed and burned down dozens of churches – mainly Black churches – in the 1960s.

The same synagogue recently was set on fire by a 19-year-old white attacker. The arsonist intentionally targeted the city’s only synagogue – calling it a “synagogue of Satan.” This language has historically been used by extremists to justify attacks against Jews. In recent years, this vile message has been amplified by Louis Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam, Black Hebrew Israelite groups and the QAnon conspiracy theorists. Far-right Black American political commentator Candace Owens also has recently spread the phrase.

Local church leaders again offered support to the local Jewish community following the arson attack. NAACP President Derrick Johnson echoed the words of MLK: “We should be even more vigilant and accepting of one another and all that we bring to the table.” Synagogue President Zach Shemper defiantly stated: “We’re still here, and we’re not going anywhere.”

Dr. King’s Legacy Twisted to Fit Anti-Jewish Narratives

Some activists frame hateful conduct against Jews as legitimate political expression – influencing shifts in attitudes among younger Black Americans. These activists promote warped views of Jews and Israel. Compared to all Americans, Black Americans, ages 18 to 34, are more likely to say that acts of hate against Jews in the U.S. are a legitimate form of protest in response to the Gaza War (36% vs. 23%) and justify Hamas terrorism while condemning Israel’s actions (13% vs. 7%). Black Americans also are slightly more likely to support Christian nationalism (34% vs. 30%).

Dr. King’s public record stands in stark contrast to contemporary trends. Following looting of Jewish stores in NY by Blacks in 1964, Dr. King responded: “I solemnly pledge to do my utmost to uphold the fair name of the Jews. Not only because we need their friendship – but mainly because bigotry in any form is an affront to us all.

Speaking at the 1968 Rabbinical Assembly Convention – just 10 days before he was assassinated – Dr. King powerfully declared:

1. Rev. Dr. King’s legacy is being distorted to exclude Jews: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy was rooted in building coalitions, moral courage and shared civic space. Events in his honor now are being perverted to justify excluding Zionists – meaning Jews – from rallies, commemorations and MLK Day events. Alliance San Diego disinvited Rabbi Hanan Leberman from offering a benediction blessing because of his “Zionist views.” Some activists are rewriting Dr. King’s legacy to fit their political agendas.
2. Civil rights lose meaning when Jews are silenced: Civil rights movements depend on the ability of minorities to participate openly as themselves. When Jews are told they must disavow Israel or change their identity to be accepted, they are not merely excluded – they are silenced. A civil rights framework that conditions participation on ideological conformity strips Jews of civic voice and undermines the universal principles it claims to uphold.
3. When intimidation replaces persuasion, peaceful protests can become violent: The civil rights movement was built on nonviolent protest aimed at moral persuasion – not coercion. Recently, activists have disrupted prayer services, harassed communities and intimidated individuals at public events – chanting support for violence outside two NYC synagogues and storming a MN church. Pastor Jonathan Parnel: “It’s shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship.” The activists justified their actions as political expression. When protest tactics rely on fear or exclusion rather than conscience and dialogue, they abandon the nonviolent tradition that gave the civil rights movement its moral force.
4. Extremist rhetoric thrives when leaders stay silent: Social media permits hate, lies and conspiracy theories to spread at lightning speed around the world. Too many community leaders do not answer the call to step up and speak out, a value deeply held and expressed by Dr. King. Silence allows conspiracy theories and demonization of minorities to circulate unchecked. When religious and civic leaders decline to confront hatred directly, extremists interpret inaction as permission. History shows that bigotry rarely fades on its own – it gains strength when those with influence refuse to challenge it.
5. Praying with our feet meant standing together, not pushing Jews out: Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel famously described marching with Dr. King in Selma, Alabama, as “praying with my feet” – highlighting that moral action and shared struggle were inseparable. That vision assumed Jews belonged fully in the fight for civil rights. When Jews are pushed out of public spaces, the ethic Heschel embodied is not being continued – it is being abandoned.

Support organizations advancing Black-Jewish cooperation beyond rhetoric.

• National Black Empowerment Council: NBEC has launched multiple initiatives focused on building coalitions, leadership development and global engagement rooted in shared civil rights values. Recent efforts include academic partnerships between HBCUs and Israeli universities, leadership delegations to Israel and Gaza emphasizing humanitarian dialogue and meetings that strengthen Black-Jewish collaboration in civic and educational spaces.
• Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel: IBSI works to strengthen ties between people of African descent and the Jewish community through education, advocacy and community engagement. The organization promotes historical understanding of Israel-Africa and Black-Jewish relations, counters the false ‘Zionism is racism’ narrative and trains young Black leaders to serve as advocates for solidarity and cooperation

Stories Impacting American Jews

• Leaders condemn then-VP Kamala Harris’s vetting team for asking Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shaprio if he had even been a “double agent for Israel”
• Univ. of Cal. Davis professor who posted that “Zionist journalists should fear us more” with knife and blood emojis after Oct. 7 attack keeps job after short suspension
• Federal appeals court rules former Columbia Univ. anti-Israel student activist can be rearrested
• Northwestern Univ.’s Doha campus serves the Qatari ruling families
• Far-right political commentator Tucker Carlson makes second White House visit in two weeks – dines with president
• Far-right influencers, white supremacists sing Ye’s “Heil Hitler” song at Miami night club
• Influencer Hasan Piker doubles down on Hamas support while maintaining progressive credibility
• Former U.S. Rep. Cori Bush blames Zionist AIPAC for losing her last election
• NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin proposes five-point plan to combat antisemitism – including buffer zone
• NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani wavers on support for creating a buffer zone outside houses of worship
• Mamdani asked to appoint leader of office to combat hate against Jews with someone who is familiar with Jewish community life

Stories Impacting the U.S. and Israel

• Hamas terrorists used hostage Eitan Horn’s relationship with his brother for mental abuse
• U.S. unveils key Gaza peace panel – prominent roles given to countries opposing Israel: Qatar, Turkey
• Bipartisan group of politicians urge State Dept. to continue condemning Iran

Stories from Around the World

• France: Undercover Arab reporter reveals pervasive hatred of Jews and Israel on the radical left and worries for country’s future
• Australia: Arts festival apologizes for disinviting writer who supports Oct. 7 attacks, Hamas and destruction of Israel, advocates for making spaces “culturally unsafe” for Zionists
• France: Publisher withdraws textbooks that called Oct. 7 victims “Jewish settlers”

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This content is developed by The Focus Project in partnership with MERCAZ USA. The Focus Project distributes weekly news and talking points on timely issues concerning Israel and the Jewish people, including antisemitism, anti-Zionism and the delegitimization of Israel. It represents a consensus view across a spectrum of major American Jewish organizations. MERCAZ USA recognizes and respects the diversity of views on these issues among its readers and the community at large.

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