Josephine Wyatt
Josephine Wyatt
Years of struggle
A memorial was held, Nov. 11 2017, where friends, family, and comrades of Josephine Wyatt gathered to remember her 95 years of life and struggle.
Among the speeches about her life was a video from Angela Davis. Josephine had been tireless in the campaign to free Angela Davis and all political prisoners in the early 1970s. She was at the founding convention of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, which grew out of the struggle for Davis’ freedom in 1973. Josephine continued until her death to be a leader in the Chicago chapter, which became the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression when the national organization ended.
Josephine Wyatt was born in Georgia, and moved to Chicago in the 1940s, where she and her husband joined the Communist Party USA. A number of the speakers, including her son, spoke about the CP and her dedication to it. One of those speakers was Mark Durham, whose 98-year-old mother, Clarice Durham, also spoke about Josephine, her friend of many years. Clarice continues on the leadership body of the Chicago Alliance.
Josephine was so dedicated to the struggle for Black freedom that when the CP leadership under Gus Hall greatly de-emphasized the Black National Question in the late 1980s, she left the party and carried on the work in the Chicago Alliance. Years later, she recruited Frank Chapman to become active again in Chicago when he left the CP.[1]
Committees of Correspondence connection
In 1993 Josephine P. Wyatt was an affiliate of Chicago Committees of Correspondence.
In 1994 Josephine Wyatt, Chicago was listed on a "Membership, Subscription and Mailing List" for the Chicago Committees of Correspondence, an offshoot of the Communist Party USA.[2]
Honoring Frank Wilkinson
Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights organized a "Celebration of the The Dynamic Life of Frank Wilkinson (1914-2006)" on Sunday October 29, 2006. Wilkinson had been a leader of the Communist Party USA, the New American Movement and Democratic Socialists of America[3].
Honoring Committee members included Josephine Wyatt.
NAARPR
In 2009 Josephine Wyatt was Treasurer of the Chicago branch of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression[4].
References
- ↑ FB News, Josephine Wyatt, fighter for African American freedom and socialism remembered By staff | November 14, 2017
- ↑ Chicago CoC "Membership, Subscription and Mailing List" 10.14.94
- ↑ http://www.ccdbr.org/events/wilkinson/Wilkinson_Committee.html
- ↑ http://www.naarpr.org/node/20