The History of Antisemitism: “The Secret War Against Hate” Book Talk | Museum of Jewish Heritage

Americans today like to believe that the end of World War II brought a new era of tolerance in the United States. But antisemitism and racism went up-not down-after the war’s end. Violence broke out in cities across the country, and the number of organized hate groups more than doubled from 1940 to 1946. In this shocking account of a resurgence of White Supremacy in America, celebrated historian Steven J. Ross reveals how four key leaders-Emory Burke, J. B. Stoner, James Madole, and George Lincoln Rockwell-worked together to “finish the job Hitler had begun,” launching deadly attacks on Jews and African Americans and building a network of terrorists across the U.S. In response to this “war of hate,” three men-Arnold Forster of the Anti-­Defamation League, George Mintzer of the American Jewish Committee, and James Sheldon of the Non-­Sectarian Anti­-Nazi League-along with dozens of men and women, launched a multipronged effort: They infiltrated, monitored, and undermined these hate groups, putting their own safety on the line and scoring important victories that, today, have been all but forgotten.

Tracing the extraordinary work of these unsung heroes, The Secret War Against Hate provides a groundbreaking reconsideration of the legacy of the “Good War,” and essential reading on how America today can beat hate once again and build a just and united nation.

Steven J. Ross is Distinguished Professor of History and Director of the University of Southern California’s Casden Institute for the Study of the Jewish Role in American Life. His recent book, The Secret War Against Hate: American. Resistance to Antisemitism and White Supremacy, has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award. He recently appeared with Rachel Maddow at a sold-out conversation at the 92nd Street Y in New York. His previous book, Hitler in Los Angeles: How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America was named a Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History for 2018 and was on the Los Angeles Times Bestseller List for 23 weeks. It was also made into a documentary for French television, Leon Lewis, the Man Who Defeated the Nazis in Hollywood (English title). Ross’s Op-Eds and columns have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Politico and other major news outlets.

Register HERE.