Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube

As Black History Month Concludes, the Struggle Continues

As Black History Month comes to a close Left Voice reflects on some of the articles and media posted. We also thank the writers, guest posts, and artists who contributed to the commemoration of a socialist Black History Month!” Check out our month in review.

Julia Wallace

February 29, 2020
Facebook Twitter Share
Agnes Varda

This Socialist Black History month was Left Voice‘s most successful ever! We began the month with a call for submissions and now we are ending it with a sum up of our many enriching and dynamic contributions. 

The articles we published this month discussed current and historic Black figures, debates among Black communists, important militant artists and musicians, as well as a number of guest posts. 

Posts ranged from theoretical discussion on chattel slavery and industrialization to articles that explored how Marxism and the Marxist method of analysis is an essential tool for fighting racial oppression. In his article, Marcello Pablito argues that racism and capitalism must be fought against simultaneously. 

Black Liberation and the Early Communist Movement by Jimena Vergara and Julia Wallace discusses the early years of the Communist Movement and how the Black struggle became integrated in the fight for socialism.

Joseph “Lil Joe” Johnson’s article “Multi-Dimensional Class Struggles and the U.S. Civil War” looks at the relationship between the Civil war in the US, the Haitian Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution in Britain.

We also republished an excellent article from Marxist Left Review on the Jesse Jackson presidential campaigns from 1984 and 1988. Author Nick Everett draws important parallels between his campaign and the Bernie Sanders campaign and the folly of the Democratic Party. 

Tiffany Wallace’s Black History Month movie list introduced us to some well known and lesser known films and miniseries about political topics in the Black community. And Olivia Wood offered a new reading of Black No More, a classic of Black literature from the Harlem Renaissance. 

Other arts articles included: a musically directed portrait of Nina Simone, which examines the prolific pianist and song writer’s political development during the 1960s, as well as a review of a documentary on the assasination of Malcolm X that explores new content on the assassination of the political leader. 

We also reposted older articles relevant to the current political moment, including an interview with Dan Georgakas about the auto plant based organizing of the Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement (DRUM). 

We also reposted a critique of the Movement 4 Black Lives policy, which has only become further entrenched in the capitalist state rather than combatively challenging it. The recent  endorsement of Democratic party candidates by BLM founders is an even clearer sign that the movement that was once combative and challenged the establishment, now legitimizes it.

We also created memes of dynamic militants who fought for Black liberation. Luigi stylized the iconic image of Malcolm X selling papers outside a drug store. Sou mi has created political memes, and shown through artistry heroes of the Black Liberation movement. 

Our media connected Assata Shakur and Karl Marx who both proclaim “We Have Nothing to Lose But Our Chains” late hip-hop artist J Dilla #FTP, Ida B. Wells, Malcolm X and lastly, the Combahee River collective. The Black liberation and socialist struggles are intertwined. This year for Black history month our aim was to highlight the interconnected politics of both as well as comment on the current political issues affecting Black people today from a Marxist perspective. 

Although Black History month comes to a close we resolve to fight for the liberation of Black people and all oppressed people against the chains of bigotry, capitalism and imperialism. We invite writers, artists, poets to continue to submit your work for us to publish. Black struggle continues and we struggle in and alongside it. 

From the plantation to the factory to the prisons, working class and oppressed people have nothing to lose but our chains. We have a world to gain. Let’s Get Free!

Facebook Twitter Share

Julia Wallace

Julia is a contributor for Left Voice and has been a revolutionary socialist for over ten years. She served on the South Central Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles and is a member of SEIU Local 721. Julia organizes against police brutality and in defense of LGBTQ, women, and immigrants' rights. When she's not actively fighting the patriarchy, white supremacy and/or capitalism, she enjoys many things: she loves Thundercat, plays ultimate frisbee and is a founder of the team, "Black Lives Hammer."

Archive

The Unknown Paths of the Late Marx

An interview with Marcello Musto about the last decade of Marx's life.

Marcello Musto

February 27, 2022

The Critical Left in Cuba

Frank García Hernández discusses the political and economic situation in Cuba and the path out of the current crisis.

Frank García Hernández

February 27, 2022

Nancy Fraser and Counterhegemony

A presentation from the Fourth International Marxist Feminist Conference.

Josefina L. Martínez

February 27, 2022

Who is Anasse Kazib?

Meet the Trotskyist railway worker running for president of France.

Left Voice

February 27, 2022

MOST RECENT

All That's Left, the podcast from Left Voice.

#AllThatsLeftPod: What the Historic UAW Victory Means for the Working Class

In this episode of the podcast, we discuss the historic UAW victory, its shortcomings, and the tasks for the future.

Left Voice

December 5, 2023

The New Hollywood McCarthyism Emerging Around Palestine

Over the past week, a new Hollywood McCarthyism has emerged: multiple people in Hollywood have jobs and representation over their support of Palestine. We must denounce and fight these attacks which weaken the movement and scare supporters into silence.

Sybil Davis

December 3, 2023
A UAW sign is held next to a "Free Palestine" sign

The UAW Has Called for a Ceasefire. It’s Time for All of Labor to Stand Up.

The UAW International union has joined calls for a ceasefire and is exploring how to divest from Israel. This is a step which should inspire union activists to take up the fight to bring their union into the fight against Israel's attack on Gaza and the struggle against imperialism.

Rose Lemlich

December 2, 2023

Robert Habeck Wrote a Play Praising a Right-Wing Mass Murderer

Germany's Green vice chancellor strikes many as an idealist who has been struggling with the tough realities of government. Yet before he was a national politician, he wrote a play that opens a window into a dark soul.

Nathaniel Flakin

December 1, 2023