- Igal Roodenko
Igal Roodenko (Birth date|1917|2|8| – Death date|1991|4|28) was a
Jewish UScivil rights activist, andpacifist .Biography
He attended
Cornell University from 1934 to 1938, where he received a degree in horticulture.In
1947 he was arrested withBayard Rustin for deliberately violating aNorth Carolina law requiring segregated seating on public transportation.At their trial, Rustin and Roodenko were both convicted. Rustin was sentenced to 30 days on a North Carolina
chain gang . The judge said to Roodenko, "Now, Mr. Rodenky ("sic"), I presume you're Jewish.""Yes, I am," Roodenko replied.
"Well, it's about time you Jews from New York learned that you can't come down bringing your nigras with you to upset the customs of the South. Just to teach you a lesson," the judge sentenced him to 90 days on a chain gang - three times the length of Rustin's sentence. [ http://sthweb.bu.edu/index.php?option=com_awiki&view=mediawiki&article=Journey_of_Reconciliation&Itemid=176]
Awards
Roodenko was awarded the
War Resisters League Peace Award in1979 .References
* Stephen J. Whitfield. "Rethinking the Alliance between Blacks and Jews." In "Jewishness" and the World of "Difference" in the United States". (Williamsburg, Va.: Dept. of Religion, College of William and Mary, 2001.
* [http://www.swarthmore.edu/Library/peace/DG151-175/dg161irood.htm "Igal Roodenko Records, 1935-1991", Document Group: DG 161] , Swarthmore College Peace Collection. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
* [http://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/B-0010/ Oral History Interview with Igal Roodenko] at [http://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/ Oral Histories of the American South]
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