Jeffries Speaks at Sanders; Hundreds Protest Outside

A subdued crowd of approximately 450 protested City University of New York professor Leonard Jeffries before his speech last night in Memorial Hall's Sanders Theatre.

Protesters, shivering in the below-freezing temperatures, waved signs with messages such as "No bigots at Harvard" and "Uphold dignity, denounce racism." The protest took place in front of the Science Center, around the corner from Memorial Hall's front entrance, and was out of sight of those waiting in line to attend Jeffries' speech.

There was little noise, and no chanting, with applause generally limited to pauses during the 11 authorized speeches, and muffled by the gloved or mittened hands of the demonstrators.

J. Eliot Morgan '92, a Crimson editor who alleges his life was threatened by Jeffries in an earlier interview, drew the event's most intense applause for his denunciation of Jeffries.

"He expected us to be passive," Morgan said. "He counted wrong here."

Hillel Coordinating Council Chair Shai A. Held '94, organizer of the protest, began the rally by noting that many defenders of Jeffries have claimed some of his most controversial statements have to be taken in context. "My friends, in what context are we to respond to lies?" he asked the crowd.

Then, citing Jeffries' belittlement of the Holocaust, Held called for members of each of the protesting groups to come to the podium. Each representative read the name of a concentration camp site and saidhis or her organization remembered the camp.

Tomni Dance, race relations tutor in NorthHouse, read a statement from Assistant Dean forMinority affairs and Race Relations HildaHernandez-Gravelle, one of the few officials noton the scene last night. The statement called foropen-mindedness and a willingness to listen toJeffries, no matter how misguided some of hisstatements have been.

"I believe it is crucial for the LeonardJeffries and the David Dukes of the world tofreely express themselves,'" read Dance fromHernandez-Gravelle's statement.

That stance drew an attack from ThomsonProfessor of Government Martin L. Kilson, whosaid, "To some extent I believe the statement thatwas made before us was a bit obscurantist."

"Jeffries' presence here represents an insultto a majority of our population here at HarvardCollege," Kilson said. "I'm thoroughly convincedthat Jeffries represents evil," he said.

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III was one ofa number of Harvard officials present at therally. He conferred with representatives of theJewish Defense League (JDL) and urged them to moveout of the forefront of the protest scene.

At one point, Epps told the JDL representativethat he had spoken with Jeffries earlier in theday. Epps confirmed later, in an interview, thathe had contacted Jeffries to discuss the format ofthe speech and details of his arrival.

Rabbi Sally Finestone, acting Director ofHarvard-Radcliffe Hillel, spoke critically at therally of outside organizations in attendance,including the JDL and Kahane Chai.

"We did not invite the Jewish Defense League.It is the students' rally," Finestone said. At onepoint, signcarrying members of Hillel rushed infront of a local television camera to obscuresigns held by JDL members.

Michael Slomich, Executive Director of the JDLNortheast regional chapter, said that about 30 ofthe group's members were at the protest. He saidhe was contacted initially by Morgan.

Kahane Chai members passed out sheets saying"Jeffries is a racist pig" and "Jews must strikeagainst their enemies.

Tomni Dance, race relations tutor in NorthHouse, read a statement from Assistant Dean forMinority affairs and Race Relations HildaHernandez-Gravelle, one of the few officials noton the scene last night. The statement called foropen-mindedness and a willingness to listen toJeffries, no matter how misguided some of hisstatements have been.

"I believe it is crucial for the LeonardJeffries and the David Dukes of the world tofreely express themselves,'" read Dance fromHernandez-Gravelle's statement.

That stance drew an attack from ThomsonProfessor of Government Martin L. Kilson, whosaid, "To some extent I believe the statement thatwas made before us was a bit obscurantist."

"Jeffries' presence here represents an insultto a majority of our population here at HarvardCollege," Kilson said. "I'm thoroughly convincedthat Jeffries represents evil," he said.

Dean of Students Archie C. Epps III was one ofa number of Harvard officials present at therally. He conferred with representatives of theJewish Defense League (JDL) and urged them to moveout of the forefront of the protest scene.

At one point, Epps told the JDL representativethat he had spoken with Jeffries earlier in theday. Epps confirmed later, in an interview, thathe had contacted Jeffries to discuss the format ofthe speech and details of his arrival.

Rabbi Sally Finestone, acting Director ofHarvard-Radcliffe Hillel, spoke critically at therally of outside organizations in attendance,including the JDL and Kahane Chai.

"We did not invite the Jewish Defense League.It is the students' rally," Finestone said. At onepoint, signcarrying members of Hillel rushed infront of a local television camera to obscuresigns held by JDL members.

Michael Slomich, Executive Director of the JDLNortheast regional chapter, said that about 30 ofthe group's members were at the protest. He saidhe was contacted initially by Morgan.

Kahane Chai members passed out sheets saying"Jeffries is a racist pig" and "Jews must strikeagainst their enemies.