In 1819-1820, Isaac Lopez Brandon found himself at the unhappy center of a dispute over Jews and civil rights on the island of Barbados. Born enslaved, Brandon was the nephew of the island’s first female national hero, who fought for the religious and civil rights for all people with African ancestry. Yet even his famous aunt couldn’t save Brandon from being demoted to a second-class member of the local congregation for his attempt to gain Jews the right to vote. In this lecture, Dr. Laura Arnold Leibman reveals the little-known dialogue between early Barbadian Jews and Christians over the relationship between salvation and freedom.

Presented in partnership with the Association for Jewish Studies.