Althea Bernstein, 18, Black and Jewish, burned in hate crime
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Hannah Feuer June 26, 2020
Madison 18-year-old Althea Bernstein, who was reportedly set on fire by four white men, identifies as culturally Jewish, according to a family spokesperson.
The Madison Police Department is investigating the incident as a possible hate crime. Bernstein is a biracial African American, according to family spokesman Michael Johnson.
The family identifies as both culturally Jewish and Unitarian, he said.
Bernstein was at a stoplight with her window down on June 24 when she was sprayed with lighter fluid, called the “n-word” and set on fire, according to police reports. The fire was set when a flaming lighter was thrown at her, police said.
The incident occurred just a few blocks away from protests against racism and police brutality at the state Capitol.
She was able to drive home, but was treated for third-degree burns at a hospital. The incident has captured national attention.
Bernstein works as an EMT and is studying at Madison College to be a paramedic and firefighter.
“I don’t have any room for hate or holding grudges,” Bernstein said on Good Morning America. “So I hope these men see what happened to me and choose to make a change in their lives.”
This article originally appeared in the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. Reposted with permission.
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
