artisan
craftsperson
Baptist
a member of a church who practices the particular doctrines of an evangelical form of Christianity
Black Panther
a member of the militant African-American political party
Black Power
a movement amongst African-Americans to consolidate power and build their own political and cultural institutions
bowlegged
having legs that curve out at the knees
brimstone
sulphur
callous
toughened; unfeeling
civic
relating or belonging to the citizens of a city
clairvoyance
the power to perceive objects or events without the use of the "ordinary" senses
denizen
a resident or frequenter of a place
derision
ridicule; contempt
diabetes
metabolic disorder often resulting in extreme thirst and urination
dialogue
conversation between two people
disrepair
state of being in need of repair
dowry
property given to the husband by the bride's family
gentiles
persons not of the Jewish faith; Christians
gentrification
the restoration of run-down urban properties, often resulting in the displacement of low-income residents
ghetto
the area of a city in which a particular minority group is compelled to live
henpecked
dominated by persistent nagging
housing project
a development for low-income families erected and managed by public funds
immaculate
spotless; impeccable
indignity
degrading treatment; an affront
infallible
incapable of error or failure
kaddish
Jewish prayer given by mourners at the death of a relative
kosher
ritually pure, conforming with Jewish dietary laws
Ku Klux Klan
a white, Southern secret society that employed terrorist tactics to suppress African-Americans
leavened
made light with baking powder or yeast
maul
to injure, usually by beating roughly
modicum
a small amount
motley
variegated; of many colors; heterogeneous
oblivion
complete forgetfulness
Orthodox
traditional or established aspect of Judaism
pep
high energy
polio
viral disease that damages the spinal cord
populous
with many people
privileged
having a special advantage
rabbi
leader, scholar, and teacher of the Jewish congregation, trained in Jewish laws and rituals
racism
discrimination on the basis of race
reefer
slang for marijuana
reveille
military bugle call used to wake soldiers up in the morning
salvation
redemption; being saved from evil
scavenge
to search for or collect useful material from refuse
shiva
seven-day Jewish mourning period after the death of a relative
synagogue
the Jewish place of meeting and worship
tableau
an arranged scene
tallis
a prayer shawl with fringed edges worn by Jewish males
torrid
scorching; passionate
wharf
a pier or platform on a shoreline where ships are moored
yarmulke
skullcap worn by Jewish men and boys
