W.E. B. Dubois on the Negro and Socialism, 1960 by Norman Markowitz

by: Wednesday 7 October 2015

In preparing for a class, I came across a remarkable audio tape, a presentation by W.E. B. Dubois on the question of "The Negro and Socialism"  at Madison Wisconsin in 1960.  Dubois had been a central figure in African American history and  one of the most influential American  activist intellectuals on the world scene for much of the first half of the 20th century,  A principal founder of the NAACP in 1909, and the editor of its journal, The Crisis, for a generation, Dubois had fought against racism and imperialism in his long life.  His identification with national liberation struggles and with socialism after WWII made him, along with his younger friend and comrade in arms, Paul Robeson, a major victim of the postwar repression which still goes by the name of McCarthyism in the U.S. But let me let Dubois who speaks with far greater eloquence and clarity than I, speak for himself here.

Dubois was 92 years old when he made this presentation fifty five years ago.  It remains of great value for the struggles today, both of the African American people and all people

Norman Markowitz

 

 

 

https://youtu.be/kKXglS90qn4

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  • In the present writer's late comment there was a remission of reference to Du Bois's invaluable work (maybe his most invaluable) in Atlanta, GA, in the precursor to the Atlanta University Complex, where he taught for years, and established Phylon the Atlanta University Review of Race and Culture, in the 1940s-Du Bois's genius is such that there is always something new and different the crops up about it-always something omitted or forgotten-like his brilliant poetry.
    In all, Du Bois has helped release a might stream of African, African American ( and its H B C Us- Historically Black Colleges and Universities ), Jewish, Chinese, women and all oppressed peoples' intellectual energy, which will serve humankind for centuries.

    Posted by E.E.W. Clay, 10/08/2015 11:35am (9 years ago)

  • "Our professor", as Paul Robeson would call W. E. B. Du Bois, was a Great Barrington, MA, Nashville, TN, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Moscow, and especially, Berlin student and worker for peace, democracy, socialism and communism for the whole world's working peoples.
    His work, his life, as this invaluable recording, speaks for itself.
    His character, clarity and integrity shines over and through the lies of the big capitalists, imperialists, racists, sexists, anti-socialists, anti-communists, fascists and cads of white supremacy.
    Moreover, almost miraculously, he was a joyous man, a practical and systematic intellectual worker, who championed the manual worker-the connection between the two, whether black, yellow, brown, red or white, and especially the female worker of color, full of love.
    Du Bois belonged to the world's working people, including especially Africa's and China's; and his work will help guide humanity's think for centuries to come.

    Posted by E.E.W. Clay, 10/08/2015 10:40am (9 years ago)

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