African American History Month Educational Guide

February presents us with an opportunity to strengthen our basic understanding of the fight for democracy and social progress in our country. One decisive question is the relationship of the struggle of the working class to the struggle of the nationally oppressed, particularly African Americans. The core of the movement in our country consists of the working class in its organized form (the labor movement), the movements of the nationally oppressed, and the movement of women. Decisive is the relationship of labor to the African American people .

This educational has the goal of upgrading our understanding of the national question, the fight against racism, and the fight for African American equality. The recommended readings include classic writings based on a theoretical foundation which is still sound even if the statistical data have shifted. In addition, this educational guide is offered in conjunction with the African American Equality Commission’s call to re-familiarize ourselves with the history of Ben Davis whose autobiography, Communist Councilman from Harlem is available through International Publishers

The club should invite guests to participate in this African American History Month educational and immediately distribute the reading materials and educational guide to all who will be involved. A discussion leader should be selected to guide the discussion

If it is not possible for everyone, at least one person who will participate in the educational session could be asked to read Ben Davis’ autobiography and give a brief five to ten minute summary of the highlights of his life at the end of the educational At least an hour should be devoted to the full educational discussion.

Discussion Questions:

• 1. What is the national question? What is the relationship of the national question to the class question? Why do African Americans constitute a national question?
• 2. What is the relationship of African Americans to the US working class and the working class movement? What is the labor/African American alliance and why is it important to the movement for social progress in this country? Why is the fight against racism decisive to the movement of the working class and the fight for social progress in this country?
• 3. What is inequality? How is the continued inequality of African Americans reflected today including in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections? How does the inequality of African Americans impinge upon the interests of all of working class America particularly white working class people? How does the struggle against racism and for equality relative to African Americans relate to the struggles of other nationally oppressed people?

Recommended Readings: {All together this should be less than 100 pages}

Hall, Gus

“The Nation’s Most Dangerous Pollutant” in Fighting Racism, pages 15-41
“Black-White Unity and the Working Class” in Working Class USA, pages 263 -274

Hope, Barbara Jean

“Give No Quarter to Voter Fraud and Suppression” in People’s Weekly World, November 18, 2004.

Jackson, James

“Class Forces in the Black People’s Movement” in Revolutionary Tracings, pages 141-145
“Black Liberation and Working Class Unity” in Revolutionary Tracings, pages 146-149
“On the Theory of Black Liberation in the U.S.” in Revolutionary Tracings, pages 149-158

Myles, Dee

“Black History and Marxist Education” in People’s Weekly World, February 23, 2002

Tyner, Jarvis

“The Republican Campaign to Suppress the Black Vote: A Racist Conspiracy” in Political Affairs

Webb, Sam

2005 Main Political Resolution (sections on the national question, the fight against racism, and African Americans) [This may not be available at the time of your club’s educational; please proceed and pay special attention to these sections when it becomes available.]

Winston, Henry

“The Nature of the White-Black Relationship” in Class, Race, and Black Liberation, pages 101-114

All books published by International Publishers