The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in the US and its youth and student movement, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), is holding a series of meetings on “Race, Class and the Fight for Socialism: Perspectives for the Coming Revolution in America.”
This series is the socialist answer to the New York Times “1619 Project,” which has been accompanied by an unprecedented publicity blitz, including at schools and campuses throughout the country. The occasion they cite for the publication of this project is the 400th anniversary of the arrival of 20 African slaves at Point Comfort, Virginia.
The Times project raises the question: Is race the driving force of history, as the Times insists? Or, as Karl Marx analyzed, is it class? Is “anti-black racism … in the very DNA of this country” as the Times writes? Or is the history of the United States fundamentally the history of class struggle? As social inequality reaches record levels, is America heading toward race war or socialist revolution?
The promotion of the 1619 Project takes place under conditions of expanding class struggle internationally and a growing interest in socialism among workers and youth in the United States. Its aim is to block the development of a united movement of workers across all races by cultivating racial divisions.
These meetings will refute the historical falsifications advanced in the 1619 Project, explain their underlying political motivations and present the strategy for socialist revolution in America today.
Featured speakers:
Niles Niemuth is a member of the National Committee of the Socialist Equality Party and a writer for the World Socialist Web Site. In 2016 he was the Socialist Equality Party’s candidate for vice president and in 2018 ran for congress in Michigan. He holds a Masters’ degree in African American history and is also a co-author of the recently released pamphlet, The New York Times 1619 project: A racialist falsification of US and world history.
Tom Mackaman is a writer for the World Socialist Web Site with a focus on socialism and the history of the American labor movement. He is also a co-author of the recently released pamphlet, The New York Times 1619 project; A racialist falsification of US and world history.
Joseph Kishore is the National Secretary of the Socialist Equality Party and writer for the World Socialist Web Site. He has written extensively on American politics, working class struggles, and the history of the socialist movement.
Eric London is a member of the National Committee of the Socialist Equality Party and writer for the World Socialist Web Site with a focus on US politics, immigration, US history, Latin America, workers struggles and democratic rights. He is also the author of the recently released book Agents: The FBI and GPU Infiltration of the Trotskyist Movement.
A special expanded meeting series will be held at the University of Michigan
Tuesday, October 22, 7:00 pm
Lecture One: The American Revolution and its place in world history
University of Michigan
Rackham Building, Rackham Amphitheatre
915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Speaker: Tom Mackaman
Tuesday, November 5, 7:00 PM
Lecture Two: The “Irrepressible Conflict”: Slavery, the Civil War and America’s Second Revolution
University of Michigan
Rackham Building, Rackham Amphitheatre
915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Speaker: Eric London
Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 PM
Lecture Three: The Democratic Party and the cultivation of right-wing identity politics
University of Michigan
Rackham Building, Rackham Amphitheatre
915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Speaker: Joseph Kishore
Full meeting schedule
Tuesday, October 15, 7:15 pm
First Unitarian Church of Chicago Chicago, Illinois
5650 S. Woodlawn Ave
Speaker: Joseph Kishore
Facebook event
Tuesday, October 22, 7:00 pm
University of South Florida
SOC 152
Tampa, Florida
Speaker: Eric London
Facebook event
Wednesday, October 23, 6 :00 pm
University of Florida
McCarty Hall A (MCCA) 1142
Gainesville, Florida
Speaker: Eric London
Facebook event
Wednesday, November 6, 7:00 pm
Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus
CA 302
8333 Litter River Turnpike
Annadale, VA 22003
Speaker: Tom Mackaman
Thursday, November 7 , 6:30 pm
University of Minnesota
Tate Hall Room B65
116 Church Street SE
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Speaker: Eric London
Facebook event
Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 pm
Western Michigan University
Bernhard Center Room 213
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Speaker: Niles Niemuth
Facebook event
Thursday November 14, 6:30 pm
University of California, Berkeley
Moffitt Undergraduate Library
Room 101
Berkeley, California
Speaker: Joseph Kishore
Facebook event
Monday, November 18, 7:00 pm
San Diego State University
Aztec Student Union
Templo Mayor, (2nd Floor)
San Diego, California
Speaker: Joseph Kishore
Facebook event
Tuesday, November 19 , 6:00 pm
University of California, Los Angeles
Young Hall, Room 4216
Los Angeles, California
Tuesday November 19, 7:00 pm
New York University
Global Center, C95 Lecture Hall
238 Thompson St, New York, NY
Speaker: Tom Mackaman
Facebook event
Wednesday, November 20, 7:00 pm
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Boynton Hall, 6-120
77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA
Speaker: Tom Mackaman
Wednesday, December 4, 7:00 pm
Wayne State University
Student Center, Hillberry A
5221 Gullen Mall
Detroit, Michigan
Facebook event