Margaret Burroughs

Margaret Burroughs

Template:TOCnestleft Margaret Burroughs (born Nov. 1, 1917), died in her sleep at her Chicago home Sunday morning, Nov. 21 2010.

Early life/education

Margaret Burroughs was born on November 1, 1917, in Saint Rose, Louisiana. She moved to Chicago in order to earn her elementary teacher's certificate, which she received in 1937 from Chicago Normal College. She continued her education first at Chicago Teachers College and later at the Art Institute of Chicago, where she earned her B.A. degree in art education in 1946 and her M.A. degree in 1948.

During the '40s she taught art in Chicago elementary schools, and published her first children's book, "Jasper, the Drummin' Boy."

South Side Community Arts Center

Burroughs founded – at age twenty-two – the South Side Community Arts Center, a community organization that serves as a gallery and workshop studio for artists and students. Burroughs continues to serve on the board of the Center, which remains active more than sixty years after its formation.

DuSable

During the mid-1950s, Burroughs married Charles Burroughs. After extended travels together, the Burroughs' founded, in 1961, the DuSable Museum of African American History on the ground floor of their Chicago home. The museum, which has since moved to its own buildings in Chicago's Washington Park, has become an internationally recognized resource for African American art.

National Anti-Imperialist Conference in Solidarity With African Liberation

Margaret Burroughs of Founder, DuSable Museum, Chicago, Illinois was named as a sponsor of the Communist Party USA dominated National Anti-Imperialist Conference in Solidarity With African Liberation held at Dunbar Vocational High School, Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago, October 19 to 21 1973.

Expel South Africa From the UN

The Campaign for One Million Voices to Expel South Africa From the UN was a Communist Party USA front created in about 1974. The front was launched to speak on South Africa and its membership in the United Nations. They issued an undated brochure entitled "We Who Support Human Rights... DEMAND the expulsion of South Africa from the UN!" The brochure was printed by the CPUSA print shop "Prompt Press", printing bug number 209.

Sponsors included Margaret Burroughs.

Malcolm X book

In 1967, Burroughs and Dudley Randall edited an anthology called "For Malcolm: Poems on the Life and Death of Malcolm X" and published several volumes of her own poetry.

"Memorial Services for Karlin Flory"

In an article about the 1985 memorial service for Karlin Flory, son of "Ishmael Flory, former chairman of the Illinois District of the Communist Party USA, and the late Eloise Boone", he was identified as having been in "many activities for peace and equality" including protests at the South African Consulate, was a "Daily World supporter" who circulated the paper "in the early days of Operation Breadbasket, which later became Operation PUSH".

Among the speakers were:

• Rev. Willie Barrow - Operation PUSH, who was also a key supporter of CPUSA fronts, and visited Hanoi during the war
• Harold Rogers - national VP of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, and identified member of the CPUSA
• Rev. William Hogan - Clergy and Laity Concerned. Later publicly identified as a member of the CPUSA.
• Dr. Margaret Burroughs - director of DuSable Museum of Afro-American History. Has a long record of supporting the CPUSA and its fronts
• Rev. George Reddick - Operation PUSH
• Mildred Williamson - Organizational Secretary of the CPUSA
• Frances Davis
• Bert Phillips
• William Murphy - Flory's uncle

WREE contact

Margaret Burroughs, of Chicago, was on a May 2, 1985 mailing list for Chicago Women for Racial and Economic Equality - a front for the Communist Party USA.

Chicago Center for US/USSR Relations and Exchanges

As at May 13, 1988, Margaret Burroughs, Founder/Director Emeritus, DuSable Museum of African American History, served on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Center for US/USSR Relations and Exchanges.

Achievements

Burroughs' work has been featured in exclusive shows at the Corcoran Art Galleries in Washington, D.C., and at the Studio Museum in New York. She has served as art director for the Negro Hall of Fame and has illustrated many books, including What Shall I Tell My Children Who are Black?. Burroughs has also published several volumes of her own poems, illustrated a number of children's books, and exhibited her own artwork all over the world. In 1975 she received the President's Humanitarian Award and in 1977 was named one of Chicago's Most Influential Women by the Chicago Defender. February 1, 1986, was proclaimed "Dr. Margaret Burroughs Day" in Chicago by late Mayor Harold Washington.

Malcolm X conference

A conference, Malcolm X: Radical Tradition and a Legacy of Struggle was held in New York City, November 14 1990.

The opening panel consisted of;

• C. Eric Lincoln, Duke University, author of Black Muslims in America
• Dr. Margaret Burroughs, founder of the DuSable Museum of African American History, co-editor of For Malcolm: Poems of Celebration
• Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Emeritus Professor, Hunter College, editor of Malcolm X: The Man and His Times
• Alex Haley, author of Roots, collaborator on the Autobiography of Malcolm.

Ishmael Flory tribute

Illinois Communist Party USA leader Ishmael Flory was honored at Malcolm X College in Chicago, September 29, 1991, by more than 100 guests.

Margaret Burroughs, a board member of the Chicago Park District MCed the event.

"Ishmael Flory is a man for all seasons...He never gives up", said State Senator Alice Palmer.

Alderman Jesus Garcia of Chicago's 22nd ward cited Flory's role in fostering African-American and Latino unity , and in building multi-racial coalitions for social progress.

Prof. Robert Starks of the Free South Africa Movement said "Ishmael has never failed to compliment me on my speeches, but at the same time he has never failed to pull me aside afterwards, too point out how I could have been a little more "progressive."

Tributes came from Communist Party USA chairman Gus Hall and Illinois organizational secretary Mark Almberg.

Other speakers included Crystal Bujol for the Flory family, long time friend Christine Johnson, Jack Spiegel of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers Union, Ronelle Mustin, peace activist Sarah Staggs, Harold Rogers, who brought greetings from Rep. Charles Hayes, Gerry Oliver, and Carl Bloice of the Peoples Weekly World.

Paul Robeson 100th Birthday Committee

The Paul Robeson 100th Birthday Committee "With recognition to those who launched this campaign and those who gave guidance and leadership to the Committee’s activities."

George Bailey, Timuel Black, Dr. Margaret Burroughs, Fred Fine, Don Goldhamer, Kevin Horton, Ife McWorter, Nancy Mikelsons, Joe Powers, Sr., Ramon Price, Mark Rogovin, William Scott, Woodie T. White.

Awards

In 1975 Burroughs received the President's Humanitarian Award and in 1977 was named one of Chicago's Most Influential Women by the Chicago Defender. February 1, 1986, was proclaimed "Dr. Margaret Burroughs Day" in Chicago by Mayor Harold Washington.

Venezuela trip

At 90, Burroughs visited Venezuela, in part to witness the Bolivarian Revolution and its impact on Afro-Venezuelans.

Obama statement

On Burroughs' death President Barack Obama said in a statement that Burroughs was "widely admired for her contributions to American culture as an esteemed artist, historian, educator, and mentor."

2006 Chicago PWW banquet

Grupo Yubá, a group of Puerto Rican percussionists, singers and dancers who issued the first CD of “bomba” and “plena” music in Chicago, drew listeners into a spontaneous dance during the Chicago People’s Weekly World banquetDec. 3. 2006.

In an upbeat mood, more than 140 labor, community, peace and justice activists gathered at the Parthenon Restaurant to celebrate the November election victory and honor several groups for their outstanding work during 2006.

John Bachtell, Communist Party district organizer, welcomed the gathering.

Dr. Margaret Burroughs, co-founder of Chicago’s DuSable Museum of African American History, read her poetry and presented her beautiful art prints to Lyle and each of the honorees. Kyle Snyder, a U.S. Army resister threatened with jail, gave greetings and was given a standing ovation.

People's World 23rd Annual Banquet memorial

More than 100 labor, community, religious, environmental and equal rights activists celebrated the People's World 23rd Annual Banquet in Chicago, Dec. 5 2010.

Despite the frigid temperatures outside supporters turned up the heat for justice inside as they wined and dined at the Lee Wing Wah restaurant in Chinatown honoring this year's theme, "Let's put people back to work: Rebuild America."

The event was dedicated to two great women who recently died: Dr. Margaret Burroughs, artist and co-founder of the historic DuSable Museum of African American history; and veteran peace and justice activist Joan Elbert...(Burroughs, who regularly attended banquets and once received the Hani-Lozano Award, believed art was a vital weapon for social change, often donated her artwork to worthy causes including the People's World.)

References

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