Learning from History: A Black Christian's Perspective on the Holocaust (review)

Hubert Locke’s examination of the Jewish Holocaust from the perspective of a Black Christian immediately conjures varied responses, depending on the perspective of the reader. Were it not for his stellar credentials in the area of Holocaust studies as a respectful outsider, cynicism and suspicion might be the primary responses. In any case, he anticipates and addresses these attitudes as well as other stereotypical responses which often accompany an examination of the Holocaust and its significance for those outside of the Jewish community. While some may find the discussion to be repetitive and very basic for those knowledgeable in the field of Holocaust studies, Locke’s simple approach is germane to his stated goals.

Rather than a corrective to the interpretation of any specific historical Holocaust events, his examination is an analysis of the nature of Holocaust studies and its import for another historically marginalized group, African-Americans. In it he attempts to interpret the significance of the Holocaust for a group of people who have experienced incomparable, but equally devastating experiences of suffering in the United States.

The framework by which Locke chooses to communicate his message suggests that his audience is much broader than he originally proffers. The book is categorized by a series of common problems related to the issue of Holocaust studies which he then connects to similar historical scenarios of African-Americans. While Locke is careful to address the specific questions raised in Holocaust studies, such as “why didn’t the Jews of Europe resist their destruction” (p. 21), and “how could some European Jews allow themselves to be used as tools of the Third Reich in their administration of the concentration camps” (p. 23), he connects these to similar questions in Blacks’ slavery experience—”why didn’t more captive Africans resist slavery when they had greater numbers” (pp. 20–21) and “why did some slaves allow themselves to be used as tools of the masters” (p. 18).

This approach by Locke is not a reductionistic attempt to equate the experiences of Jewish victims of the Holocaust and African-American slaves; rather, he provides the reader with an identifiable framework from Emmanuel Levinas for understanding and empathizing with “the other” by admitting that we interpret and evaluate the experi ences of others in light of our own self-centered interests (p. 83). By educating his intended reader about the central questions related to Holocaust studies, he simultaneously strikes a chord which resonates with the African-American experience.

While Locke says that his intended audience is not a scholarly one, and he is careful to explain unique aspects of the Jewish experience, it is also clear that his audience will probably possess above average political acumen and educational advancement. In fact, it is clear that he has a secondary motivation for his writing. He not only attempts to translate the value of understanding the Holocaust for non-Jews, he also provides a needed corrective to the parochialism of Holocaust scholars who treat the issue of the Holocaust as the distinct property of a few insiders. At the core of his argument is the suggestion that many of the questions related to the Holocaust must be significantly more nuanced in their understanding and should be the concern of outsiders as well as the descendants of victims, if the atmosphere for a repeat of such a tragedy is to be avoided in the future.

Learning from History treads a very narrow path between the extremes of self- absorbed parochialism on one side and denial on the other to discuss issues which are basic to a general understanding of Holocaust studies. From the perspective of an African-American minister with a similar, but less extensive background in Jewish- Christian relations, I found Locke’s approach to be well-balanced, relevant, and at times extremely cogent. It is clear that Locke will probably not convince the extremists of both sides to abandon their well-worn, entrenched positions...