Federation For Progress

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Federation For Progress was a front for the Communist Workers Party.

History

The Federation For Progress self-described what it was in an undated brochure/leaflet that came out in either late 1983 or early 1984, as is quoted in its entirety below. However, the FFP was just another attempt to create a new Marxist united front organization, much like similar efforts of the The People's Alliance and the National Committee for Independent Political Action.

"We've been fighting our own separate battles as our very survival is at stake in the 80's. It's time for greater unity. Formed in August, 1982, the Federation For Progress has brought people together of all races and from all movements, working for a brighter future. The linking of movements and a multi-issue focus are this decade's organizing agenda. The August 27th March on Washington for Jobs, Peace and Freedom was an historic confirmation of that. Our goal is to help create a people's movement for progress and a program that, together with your efforts and organization, we can actually implement."

"We are a democratic membership organization whose talents range across generations, nationalities, and geography. We stand on the frontlines for human rights and oppose U.S. militarization and intervention. The Federation For Progress is a farsighted leadership organization. Our members come from the movement streams of Equality, Peace, Freedom, and Justice. Tomorrow, these thousands of grassroots streams will become a mighty river in the struggle for human liberation. Be a part of making history today. Build the Federation For Progress."

"Our time is now. We the people speak as one. We need your voice. We want your hands. Now! Help us to create, to organize. Through our movement today, we insure our future. Together we will forge a powerful united group able to resist today's atrocities --boat people and homeless; soup lines and unemployed persons; unwelcome immigrants; frozen corpses of senior citizens; glazed, alienated, stone young people; evictions; layoffs; foreclosures; nuclear build-up; 007; El Salvador; Beirut; Grenada; Apartheid; young marine corpses returned home dead. Brothers and sisters, there is no separation by gender, race, ethnicity or class. There is no distance between these issues. There is a common cause, a common source. The voices of our elders cry out to us. Our children's eyes plead to us. Our pained frightened hearts speak to us. We have the courage, the committment to move forward. The Federation demands there be a future. Join us to shape it.!"

Frances Hubbard, National President

[NB: typos are from the original text of this message]

The address of the FFP was: 225 Park Avenue, So., Room 746 New York, New York, 10003 (212) 228-8011

Among the FFP's stated accomplishments were the following from the front page, reproduced en toto, here:

"Join the Movement for Jobs, Peace & Equality"

"Join The Movement That":

Front for Communist Workers Party

The Expert Red, February 1985, page 32

The Federation For Progress, appears to have been an organ of the Communist Workers Party. Meg Anderson, A CWP member from Indiana wrote a letter to The Expert Red, February 1985, which dealt with the practicalities of the Party's new Gramsci inspired program of infiltrating civil society. References to FFP, showed how important its role was to the party.

The main thing being understood about Gramsci's ideas is that we have to be able to take part in life as other people do, thus moving ourselves beyond a limited world of our own making to the world that exists. The question still remains about what party visibility will mean...For example in the church there are progressive organizations whose program is even higher than our transitional demands in some ways. What shall I propose to their members? That they all joint he Party? Or should I ask the key movers to join, and we meet secretly to act in director's role? It seems to be be the same role as FFP would play. Does that mean we virtually turn the FFP into the party, or vice a versa?

Organizing Committee for Federation for Progress

A leaflet was obtained on March 27, 1982 in Washington, DC which was entitled "A National Call to Form a Coalition Opposed to the Reagan Administration" - For Jobs or Income, Peace, and Equality.

Signers of the "Call" were:

"Yes, I would like to support the Organizing Committee for Federation For Progress (FFP). Asks for mailing information.

In These Times ad for a National Conference July 30-August 1, 1982 of the FFP

The FFP put a half-page ad in the "socialist" oriented weekly newspaper, In These Times in the July 14-27, 1982 issue, p. 8, entitled: "A natural follow-up to June 12: A national conference July 30-August 1 at Columbia Un., in New York City".

It was a follow-up conference to the major "anti-defense lobby" march and protest in New York on June relating to the U.N. Second Special Session on Disarmament.

Scheduled speakers at Columbia University included:

Interim Executive Committee (FFP):

Partial List of Endorsers:

Lens and his communist affiliations were also described in "The New Mobe Staff Study", HISC, 1970[2]

(see Keywiki sites for each of these for congressional and FBI/CIA citations, as well as Mitchell's involvement)

Eventually he was abandoned by many members of his own group, the pro-communist Christic Institute because of he weird behavior and unpredictability). The Institute collapsed after Singlaub and others won court costs from it for filing a frivilous lawsuit against him on charges that he was illegally supporting the "Contras".

Officials

Circa 1984, Dan Siegel, a co-leader of the Communist Workers Party served on the Executive Committee, Federation For Progress.[4]

FPP conference

Fppkfds.JPG

According to the Communist Workers Party newspaper Workers Viewpoint March 9 1983, page 3, more than 300 people gathered in Los Angeles to organize a large solidarity conference to coincide with the 1984 los Angeles Olympics.

Organized by Federation for Progress, participants included CISPES, Gray Panthers, ACLU, Alliance for Survival, National Lawyers Guild, NOW, National Resistance Coalition, and United Against Black Genocide.

The conference opened with presentations from Michio Kaku, Wilson Riles, Jr. of the Oakland City Council and Nancy Baker of San Diego Coalition of Labor Union Women. It ended with a powerful presentation at the First Unitarian Church where Phillip Zwerling an advisory board member of the Greensboro Justice Fund was Minister.

California State Assembymember Maxine Waters, Ramsey Clark, Michio Kaku and San Francisco Supervisor Harry Britt, "raised the political and spiritual challenges confronting the American people in the struggle for jobs, peace and equality."

Highlight of the conference was the discussion of plans for the 1984 Olympics. Participants were Carol Ono of Federation for Progress, Berkeley professor Harry Edwards, UCLA instructor Judy Chu and Mark Ridley-Thomas, president of the SCLC.

Planning conference

Chuliciousdfg.JPG

July 9, 1983 Federation For Progress held a planning conference in Los Angeles to prepare for the Olympic Games. Keynote speaker was Bob Swan, founder of Athletes United for Peace.

Also speaking were Rev. Dan Romero, Associate Minister of the United Church of Christ, Morris Knight, Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations, and Judy Chu, who gave a rundown of what had happened before the conference. Dr. Chu "spoke of US chauvinism and how the press just apes that line"

There was a reassessment of the original goal of 5000,000 people. 100,000 was deemed more realistic. Dr. Chu also summarized the logistics of the planned day.

Later panelists included Dr. Sherry Luck of the Harriet Tubman Clinic and United Against Black Genocide, and Cheryl Rhoden from SEIU local 660.[5]

Ad Hoc Committee to Keep South Africa out of the Olympics

In December 1983, a creation of the Federation for Progress, the Ad Hoc Committee to Keep South Africa out of the Olympics wrote a letter:

We have reason to believe that there will be an attempt by the expelled South African Olympic Committee to regain membership in the International Olympic Committee. Some indication of this has appeared in the Economist (September 3, 1983) which states, "The South Africans are going to plead in some foreign high courts that their exclusion from international athletics is contrary to signed international athletic agreements...If they get their declaration, they intend to ask the California courts to enforce it...."

We therefore call on the President of the International Olympic Committee, the President of the U.S. Olympic Committee, and the Chair of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee to:

J) issue a clear. public declaration that they will oppose any efforts by the racist regime of South Africa to regain membership in the International Olympic Committee; 2) support the Commonwealth Games Federation resolution; 3) issue a public declaration opposing the establishment of a South African information center in Los Angeles to promote propaganda legitimizing apartheid in sport.

Sincerely,

Student anti-fees protest

April 12, 1983 400 students gathered in Los Angeles to protest tuition hikes.

The protest was organised by the UCLA chapter of Federation For Progress and Californians Acting for Sound Education.

MCs were Marshall Wong from UCLA Federation For Progress , and Frank Cardenas from East LA College Californians Acting for Sound Education.

Other speakers included Rudy Acuna, Cal State Northridge, Marguerite Archie, Community College Board of Trustees, Judy Chu, of UCLA, and Larry Frank from Jobs With Peace.[7]

Letter to Samaranch

Capturejudychu.JPG

The '84 Mobilization for Peace and Justice, penned a July 25, 1984 letter to Dr. Juan Antonio Samaranch and Members of the International Olympic Committee, Olympic Headquarters Biltmore Hotel 515 S. Olive St. Los Angeles, CA 90013

We wish to express our outrage at the statements made by members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in support of the Racist Apartheid Regime of South Africa, which is seeking to regain membership of the IOC. Morever we think that appropriate measures should be taken to hasten Mr. Roby's planned retirement and to replace Mr. Roosevelt as members of the IOC.

Mike Young, '84 Mobilization for Peace and Justice, and Communist Workers Party, and Judy Chu, UCLA Asian American Studies, and Federation For Progress, signed the letter.

"SURVIVALFEST 84"

Survivalbaby.JPG

SURVIVAL FEST 84 was held August 5 1984 in MacArthur Park.

"Come To Hear And Strategize With Those Changing The 1980's"

  • How can we support each other in electing progressive local candidates?
  • How can we make electoral work serve the grassroots movements for a freeze, for U.S. out of Central America and human needs?
  • How can we over turn the racist dual primary system in the South?
  • Is working inside and outside the Democratic Party a viable strategy and how can it be done?
  • How can we formulate demands to revitalize our basic industries without falling into the pitfall of the chauvinist anti-import solution -- letting U.S. finance capital off the hook?

This event was organized by the Communist Workers Party front, the Coalition for a People's Convention. The event was advertised in a half-page notice in the Marxist weekly Guardian, their Book Supplement - Summer 1984, p. 12, and the Communist Workers Party and Federation For Progress were listed as participants.

"Survival Day 84"

Approximately 3,500 marchers attended the "Survival Day 84" march and rally in McArthur Park Los Angeles Sunday August 5 1984.The event was the culmination of a week of disarmament and and anti-imperialist solidarity events known as "Survival Fest 84."

The organizing coalition was dominated by the Communist Workers Party front Federation For Progress.

Coordinators of the rally were Makani Themba (Federation For Progress and Communist Workers Party member), Carol Ono and Judy Chu (MC with Jim Ladd).

They were supported by a "working committee" which included Julio Asturias, Rev. Gene Boutilier, Bob Erlenbusch, Rev. Rev. Dumas Harshaw, Rev. Aisand Riggins, Berta Silva and Mike Young.[8]

Reaganism: Black Genocide

Reaganism: Black Genocide Take Our Fight to the World's People! March to the U.N. May 22!

From a Communist Workers Party-linked Poster advertising a protest in 1982:[9],[10]

"Reaganism: Black Genocide Take Our Fight to the World's People! March to the U.N. May 22!"

"Leaflet advertising an African Liberation Day 1982 demonstration at the United Nations. The leaflet says the lives and freedom of Black people in the U.S., southern Africa, and the Caribbean are threatened by an onslaught of unprecedented ferocity spearheaded by the Reagan administration. Reagan supports Black slavery in South Africa. The leaflet notes it is the tenth anniversary of African Liberation Day and 1982 has been declared the "International Year of Mobilization for Sanctions Against South Africa" by the UN Committee Against Apartheid. Slogans include "Take Our Fight to the World's People! March to the U.N. May 22!" "Self-Determination and Equal Rights for Black People from the U.S. to S. Africa!" and "Full Sanctions Against South Africa! Freedom for Namibia, Victory to SWAPO!"

Signatories

References

  1. ↑ Attorney General Tom Clark, Letters to Loyalty Review Board, released December 4, 1947, and September 21, 1948
  2. ↑ Subversive Involvement in the Origin, Leadership and Activities of the New Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam and Its Predecessor Organizations: Staff Study, House Committee on Internal Security, p. 1, et al, 1970
  3. ↑ Revolutionary Activities Within the United States: The American Indian Movement, Hearings, Senate Internal Security Subcommittee SISS, April 6, 1976, and associated "Report"
  4. ↑ The People's Convention introductory pamphlet
  5. ↑ [Workers Viewpoint August 4, 1983]
  6. ↑ [1]
  7. ↑ [Workers Viewpoint, May 11, 1983]
  8. ↑ [Information Digest, August 17 1984 page 243, 244]
  9. ↑ African Activist Archive (Archive Link: https://archive.fo/ahEsj) (accessed May 27, 2024)
  10. ↑ Reaganism: Black Genocide Take Our Fight to the World's People! March to the U.N. May 22! (accessed May 27, 2024)
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