New Books Network Scott D. Seligman, "The Great Christmas Boycott Of 1906: Antisemitism and the Battle Over Christianity in the Public Schools" (U Nebraska Press, 2025)
Dec 24, 2025
Scott D. Seligman, a writer and historian specializing in Jewish-American history, dives into the 1906 Christmas Boycott triggered by antisemitism in U.S. public schools. He discusses Principal Harding's provocative comments that ignited Jewish outrage and the subsequent citywide protest against school Christmas pageants. The conversation explores the remarkable mobilization of the Jewish community, the backlash they faced, and the shifting dynamics of religious practices in public education, revealing historical roots of current debates over church-state separation.
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Harding’s Christmas Sermon Sparks Protest
- Principal Frank Harding told largely Jewish students he wanted them to be more like Jesus, citing scripture from an unapproved book.
- A Jewish student reported it to her father, which set off organized protest led by Albert Lucas of the Orthodox Union.
The 1906 Schoolboycott Mobilizes Parents
- Jewish parents petitioned the local board and then staged a citywide boycott of December 24, 1906, keeping many children home.
- The boycott aimed to force clear limits on religious activities in public schools after the board's indecisive response.
Law Favored Jews But Politics Blocked Enforcement
- The legal framework favored Jewish demands because state and city charters prohibited religion in public schools.
- Yet political pressure and fear of alienating the Christian majority left the Board unable to enforce clear protections.