The Black Hebrew Israelites Do Downtown Dallas

By Eric Nicholson Mon., Apr. 28 2014 at 9:15 AM

In 1997, back when major metropolitan dailies apparently had enough cash lying around to send staff writers to Israel, The Dallas Morning News profiled the Black Hebrew Israelites, a group of expat African-Americans claiming to be descendents of the tribe of Judah and, therefore, Jews.

It was an unexpected mashup of '60's black nationalism and Old Testament literalism, a tiny but close-knit community stubbornly clinging to the fringes of Israeli society and mainstream religion.

The Black Hebrew Israelites are still around. Some of them, apparently, are spending weekends in Downtown Dallas. A Friend of Unfair Park sends word that he spotted a group on Main Street this weekend and passed along a YouTube video showing them demonstrating a couple of months back:

It's a bit like watching a military drill, with shouted commands ("WE CAME ALL THE WAY OUT HERE AND Y'ALL SOUNDING LIKE SOME DAMN WUSSES. WHO'S THE KING?") and a yelled response ("CHRIST!").

The cameraman, a white guy, engages one of the leaders in a brief debate on biblical exegesis:

BHI: You know what your biblical name is? Esau.
Cameraman: God hated Esau, didn't he?

BHI: That's right.

Cameraman: You think God hates me?

BHI: I don't think.

Cameraman: You know he hates me?

BHI: That's right.

Cameraman: You guys hate me? All you guys hate me because I'm white?

BHI: I wouldn't say it's a personal thing. It's not personal. It's just biblical.

Cameraman: Do you think you're a Jew and I'm a gentile?

BHI: I know I'm a Jew.

Cameraman: Do you think I'm a gentile?

BHI: Not a gentile for salvation. A gentile for destruction. There are two types of gentiles in the New Testament. See that's what you don't understand. That's why a lot of people think the Bible's a universal book. It's not it's not a universal book.

Cameraman: You think it was written for me?

BHI: It's not.

Just in case you were wondering what all the yelling was about.

Send your story tips to the author, Eric Nicholson.

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igphayme

THATS RIGHT THE HEBREW ISRAELITES ARE TAKING BACK THIS WORLD ESAU IS THE DEVIL EDOMITES READ THE BOOK OF OBADIAH READ THE BOOK OF OBADIAH AND TELL ME DIFFERENT!

WhyDontYouJoinNAMBLA

Does this mean we can expect a Soul Vegetarian restaurant to open in Dallas? That would be awesome

ozonelarryb

This is really great shit Mrs Pressky.

Better than last ten years of snl.

paula.crisp

This group is always at Pegasus Plaza on the weekends. I live downtown, so I see them regularly. They are sort of the joke of downtown. Personally, I really love walking by them, minding my own business and hearing "whitie" getting called out to me. I wish something could be done about them... they are a hate group, pure and simple.

Beernutz

Messianic Jews? Why don't they take a note from Garvey and return home. And I don't mean that in a "immigrant or forced immigrant go home" kinda way. Just get away from here.

Beernutz

Messianic Jews?

RTGolden1 topcommenter

Fascinating stuff. Hatred and bigotry is always rooted in ignorance.

TexMarine

Never heard of this comedy troupe.

monstruss

Gross that the guy recording came out specifically to argue with guys.

whocareswhatithink

Cue Donald Sterling

pnd2131

If these guys are Jews then damnit I'm now African! Or, If we are going to play pretend, I may pretend I'm a racist Eskimo. Gotta love racist, ignorant people who believe nonsense.

P1Gunter

I've seen these guys a few times holding signs on the corner walking to the downtown Which Wich. Whatever floats your boat I suppose.

RealWhiteJew

As a practicing Jew, Christ never enters the picture. We don't talk about him or study the New Testament. I wish these black Christians would leave us out of their racist equation.

doublecheese

I'm think there is a group of black Ethiopians than claim Jewish ancestry, and it has been confirmed by genetic testing. These guys have no connection to them whatsoever.

doublecheese

Maybe it was explained in the video, but I had to watch it on mute. What's with the two Latino guys in the group? How are they any more black or "Jewish" than the camera man?

srslyguyz

I like the costumes - fringe, gauntlets, capes. Thought maybe this was a GoT flash mob?

ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul topcommenter

Whackadoodle, seriously whackadoodle.

Oh and African Americans are not racist.

onelove1643

@paula.crisp I agree. And I've had much worse than "whitey" yelled at me. It's useless trying to talk to them too. They just insult, insult, insult. Oh well, tho. Downtown patrol doesn't seem to care.

markzero

@RTGolden1 Not just ignorance, but fear. Plenty of stupid people around who love everyone they meet by default.

Someone should ask these people what they're afraid of, but it won't be me :)

TheRuddSki topcommenter

@whocareswhatithink

No, cue the scientist(s) who came up with Paragordius obamai

scottindallas topcommenter

@RealWhiteJew you're doing fine with bigotry on your own, we know.

TheRuddSki topcommenter

@doublecheese

Maybe this is the counterpart to Nation of Islam. It would be interesting to see them encounter each other's rally in the street, would war break out?

TheRuddSki topcommenter

@doublecheese

See the Einstein Brothers bag? There's your answer.

monstruss

@srslyguyz I like to imagine it's just really angry LARPing.

DOisDUMDUM

@ThePosterFormerlyKnownasPaul Israel is not in Africa so why are you referring to African Americans?

paula.crisp

@onelove1643 @paula.crisp I don't think they can do anything legally until a certain line has been crossed and I'm not sure what that is. I know people who will bait them to cross that line... once they do the police that are usually close by will remove them. I think it has something to do with the fact that they are on private property (the park is owned by the Magnolia or something...). If I remember right, I had a safety patrol officer tell me that the owner of the property has to do something (and they don't)... that's why they stand on the corner but close to the park. I'm not sure... but there is some legal reason behind it. I know, I suck... I'm a total wealth of information. I've just learned to ignore them.