Good Morning POU! We look at the final years of the large influence Communism had on African Americans. We continue at the point of the National Negro Congress as it morphs into the Civil Rights Congress. In 1946, the National Negro Congress (NNC) and the International Labor Defense (ILD) merged to form the Civil Rights Congress. The CRC continued its activities … [Read more...] about Saturday Morning Thread: Black and Red – The History of African-Americans and Communism
Communism
Friday Morning Thread: Black and Red – The History of African-Americans and Communism
Howard "Stretch" Johnson, a charismatic Harlemite who graduated from Cotton Club dancer to Communist Party youth leader, once claimed that in late 1930s New York "75% of black cultural figures had Party membership or maintained regular meaningful contact with the Party." He stretched the truth, but barely. The magnetic appeal of communism for African American writers … [Read more...] about Friday Morning Thread: Black and Red – The History of African-Americans and Communism
Wednesday Morning Thread: Black and Red – The History of African-Americans and Communism
We continue our look at the history of African Americans in the Communist Party. During the period from 1928-1935, The Communist Party of the USA made a point of campaigning against racial segregation. The CPUSA organized among African Americans in the North on local issues; it was, for example, either the first or one of the most active organizations in campaigning against … [Read more...] about Wednesday Morning Thread: Black and Red – The History of African-Americans and Communism
Monday Open Thread: Black and Red – The History of African Americans and Communism
Good Morning POU! This week's topic is one that I've often wondered about but never really got into the history. Last week's topic led me to reading more on this subject. Capitalism is far from perfect, but what would is more appealing about communism or socialism or even marxism when it comes to prominent African American writers and artists? Many writers from the … [Read more...] about Monday Open Thread: Black and Red – The History of African Americans and Communism