The Troubles Between Us: Race Work, Memory, and Kivie Kaplan in the NAACP​

This talk explores the complex history of Black–Jewish relations in the United States through the life and leadership of Kivie Kaplan, an influential yet often overlooked president of the NAACP. Drawing on extensive archival research, Dr. Holly Y. McGee challenges the popular narrative of a “golden age” of Black–Jewish cooperation, revealing instead a history shaped by both collaboration and conflict. By examining coalition politics, racial justice movements, nationalism, and collective memory, the talk offers historical insights into contemporary tensions and asks what is required to build meaningful solidarity across communities today.