National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression

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National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR) was founded in 1973 in Chicago, Illinois. Its grew out of the struggle to free Angela Davis from a "racist frame-up" on murder charges surrounding the aborted attempt by Jonathan Jackson to free his brother, George Jackson and the Soledad Brothers, from jail, in 1970.[1]

It was led by Communist Party USA members and supporters including Davis herself, Charlene Mitchell, Anne Braden and Frank Chapman.

Communist Party "intermediate form"

In 2010, Angelo D'Angelo, Ed Wlody and Kevin Keating wrote a paper for consideration at the Communist Party USA's 29th National Convention, entitled "To Build Our Party — Rebuild Left and Intermediate Forms" calling for the re-establishment of party "intermediate forms".[2]

In the past, the Party helped to launch left and intermediary forms. Many will remember their initials: NAIMSAL (National Anti-imperialist Movement in Solidarity with African Liberation), WREE (Women for Racial and Economic Equality), TUAD (Trade Unionists for Action and Democracy), USPC (the US Peace Council, an affiliate of the World Peace Council), NAARPR (National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, "The Alliance") and others.

Sponsors of the Founding Conference of the NAARPR, May 11-13, 1973

The following is a list of "sponsors" of "A Call" for a founding conference of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression from the large pamphlet sent out about it.[3]

Additional Sponsors, P. 1655, cited HISC "Revoluntary Activities, Part 4" hearings, 1973 (citation in footnotes)

NAARPR & Jewish Cultural Center 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Daily World

A little "What's On" notice in the "Daily World" of Dec. 28, 1974, p. 11 said: Sunday, Jan. 5, 4:00 PM, 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Daily World and its predecessors. We will honor

and open our 1975 fund-raising campaign. Guest Speaker:

(To be held at) Jewish Cultural Center, 429 Lenox Ave., Miami Beach.

The Jewish Cultural Center was a CPUSA front operation and related to the older Jewish Culture Society designated as subversive on the Attorney General's List of July 15, 1953.

6th National Conference May 29-31, 1981, Birmingham, Alabama

The CPUSA front, the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR) scheduled its "6th National Conference" for May 29-31, 1981, to be held at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. A large fold-out brochure was printed to inform people of the event. It was broken up into several informational sections which are reproduced en toto below.

"Celebrate 8 Alliance Years! - RALLY

Rally, Friday, May 29th, 7:30 PM, St. Joseph Baptist Church, 500 Ninth Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama

Add Your Strength to Ours (One section of brochure)

The address page for mailing and return mail had the NAARPR national office address of 27 Union Square West, Room 306, New York, New York 10003, (212) 243-8555, and the union printing bug for this brochure was the CPUSA's print shop Bug #209, Prompt Press.

Section on "Housing and "Pre-Registration Form" omitted.

A three-section wide "Agenda"of the NAARPR was entitled "To Defend and Extend Our Democratic Rights & End Racist Terror: Alliance Agenda for the '80's".

  • "A Time of Urgency"

"We Call this Sixth National Conference of our National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression at a time of great urgency in our national life. On May 29-31, 1981, we will convene in Birmingham to chart our future in the light of our deep concern for the democratic rights and aspirations of our people. Therefore, we see more than an organizational gathering in this Conference. Although organizing and making plans for future struggles is the essential function of our Conferences, we will reach out to thousands who share our concerns. Our Conference must pull together the many sisters and brothers who make up the many strands of the peoples movement."

  • A Time of Outrage"

"Those who share our concern also share our outrage over the monstrous, racist violence that stalks the land. Those who share our concern understand that we must stop by the force of people who are organized, the lawless carnage of KKK-Nazi violence. We must include here the fact that cowardly murder of Black children in Atlanta, whoever the killer(s), is being carried out at a time of official tolerance for avowed racist terrorists. Racist and anti-Semitic terror must be outlawed and stopped."

"But our sense of urgency also arises from the fact that since our last Conference, two years ago, we have witnessed an ever-rising crescendo of attacks against Black, Latin, Asian and Native American peoples. We know these attacks on peoples of color and working people are instigated by a revived atmosphere of racism and cold war hysteria. Our Conference must bring together all those who can be united in action to defend and extend our democratic rights."

  • "A Time of Victory"

"We have organized, participated in and will celebrate at this Conference two major victories won this past year: the release and vindication of our national co-chairperson Rev. Ben Chavis and the Wilmington Ten and George Merritt, member of our national board. While we celebrate these victories we are keenly aware of the continued attempts to stifle dissent, to silence every activist in the movements for equality, peace, freedom and solidarity with other peoples. Such dangers are represented by our government's continued prosecution of courage peace activist David Truong. These threats are also confronted daily by our numerous organizational efforts: the fight for Johnny Imani Harris' release from death row, only miles from Birmingham; the struggle to free Native American activist Leonard Peltier; stopping the mass murder vis-a-vis the death penalty planned for the Pontiac brothers; abolishing the behavior control unit and the brutal persecution of prisoners at Marion, Illinois; and at a thousand other hell-holes from Santa Fe to Leavenworth to MacAlister, Soledad and Parchman. Our Conference will address this continuing barbarism and seek to redress it."

  • "... Of Danger"

"But there are newly instigated threats to our movements - their perpetrators being the new right wing President and Congress in collusion with the money barons from Wall Street to Dallas. We are now witnessing a wave of attempts to knock the already weak supports from under the poor and oppressed minorities. The call to repeal the Voting Rights Act; the refusal to propose the refunding of the Legal Services Corporation; the call for a federal death penalty; and, the elimination of minimum wage laws are but a few examples of these newly clad governmental threats. These threats join with the economic crises facing us such as plant closings, runaway shops, simultaneous double-digit unemployment and double-digit inflation, and inhumane cutbacks in human and social services. These are times of a mean-spirited refusal to meet the basic needs of the masses of people."

  • "8 Years of Unity, Organization, Struggle"

"But our Alliance is no stranger to government and corporate conspiracy to undermine and destroy the efforts to expand democratic rights. Born in 1973, ours was the age of Watergate and governmental conspiracies against anti-war protestors and Black liberation movement activists and increasing attacks on the rights of labor to organize. We began our struggle in times such as these. We are, therefore, well-equipped with organizational experience to rise to the challenge of the 80's; to protect the people's right to organize for democratic rights."

"And Birmingham, the City of our Conference, was chosen for its similar history of successful struggle. Through the heroism of its common people, its workers and its Black liberation movement, Birmingham overcame police-dogs, cattle prods and the murder of children by cowardly bombs placed in centers of worship, to bring us to the present moment - threatened still by Klan night-riders who have set up military camps - where a representative of the Black community could be elected mayor. What great cause to celebrate, and what more urgent time to rally!"

"This is an important city, organization and time. Our meeting in Birminham on May 29-31, 1981 is by the necessity of our times, a meeting which must inspire and propel our efforts to organize against racist and political repression, to meet the demands of the people's struggle. In Birmingham, we must renew our commitment to protect the people's right to organize. In Birmingham, we must bring together sisters and brothers from across this country, who share our concern with the '80's, who fear the planned destruction of the trade union movement, of the Afro-American movement, of the Chicano movement, of the Puerto Rican movement, of the Native American Indian movement, of the Asia-American movement."

"We invite you to join us - we urge your participation in planning the defense of organized struggle in the '80's. Add your strength to ours. Freedom is a constant struggle."

"We Can Fight Back & Win!"


Flip-side of brochure, 3 sections as follows:

  • "WORKSHOPS"
  • "Political Prisoners"

"How to build mass movements around priority cases, to win freedom for political prisoners and other victims of racist and class injustice. Priority cases include David Truong, Imani Johnny Harris, Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Attys. Lennox Hinds and Jerry Paul (who face disbarment in New Jersey & North Carolina].

  • "Repressive Legislation"

"The fight against the death penalty, abuses of power by the FBI, CIA and local police intelligence agencies."

  • "Defense of the Rights of Labor"

"The right to organize, strike and bargain collectively; amnesty for undocumented workers; repeal of state and federal anti-labor laws; defeat of proposed "right-to-work" legislation."

  • "Ku Klux Klan, Nazi & Other Hate Groups"

"Organize massive struggles to defeat and outlaw the Klan, Nazis and other hate groups."

  • "Police Crimes"

"Implement the results of the National Police Crimes Inquiry to work toward people's control of the police."

  • "Rights of Prisoners"

"How to organize a mass defense movement for prisoners who are brutalized and denied their basic constitutional and human rights."


  • "PROGRAM"

Friday, May 29th

  • 3:00pm-Midnight: Registration
  • 7:30pm: Public Rally - Including Conference Keynote

Saturday, May 30th

  • 8:30am-12 Noon: Registration
  • 9:30pm-12 Noon: PLENARY

Conference opens, Adoption of Rules, Report of Executive Secretary Charlene Mitchell: May '79 to May '81, Preliminary Credentials Report, Nominations to Conference & Credentials Committees, Nominations to Executive Board.

  • Noon-1:00pm: Lunch
  • 1:15pm-6:00pm: WORKSHOPS
  • 6:30pm-8:30pm: SPECIAL SEMINARS: Legal workers; Media workers, Organizing
  • 9:00: SOCIAL EVENT

Sunday, May 31st:

  • 9:00am: WELCOME
  • 9:30am: BALLOTING
  • 10:00am=12:30pm: WORKSHOP REPORTS & GENERAL DISCUSSION
  • 12:30PM-1:30PM: Lunch
  • 1:30pm-2:00pm: RESULTS OF Balloting
  • 2:00pm-2:30pm: SPECIAL RESOLUTIONS
  • 2:30pm-3:30pm: CONFERENCE ADJOURNS
  • 3:300pm: Meeting of Newly Elected Executive Board


  • "NAARPR OFFICERS"

Co Chairpersons:

Vice-Chairpersons:

Executive Secretary:


  • "DELEGATE CREDENTIALS":

"Each of the following categories will be entitled to voting delegates to the conference:

  • 1. NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (any organization with nationwide membership or affiliates) are entitled to 6 delegates.
  • 2. REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS (any organization with regional membership or affiliates in two or more states) are entitled to 3 delegates.
  • 3. LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS (any organization located in a single city or locality except Alliance branches) are entitled to 2 delegates.
  • 4. EACH BRANCH of the National Alliance (a branch is composed of at least 10 members in one state or city that has been organized soley for the aims and purposes of NAARPR) is entitled to six delegates plus one delegate for every 20 members per branch. No branch shall have more than 20 voting delegates. All observers are welcome and will have voice but not vote.

"Advance registration is encouraged. Please expect your receipt in the mail (if registered prior to May 10). Please bring your receipt to the conference. Registration fee for delegates and observers is $7.50. Registration fee waived only for prisoners on furlough. Registration fee plus new membership in the NAARPR is $10.00."

Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression "Salute to Outstanding Women of Struggle" Oct. 24, 1981

The Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression CAARPR, an affiliate of the CPUSA front, NAARPR, held a "Salute to Outstanding Women of Struggle" at a banquet on October 24, 1981 (PDW, Oct. 29, 1981, 'Women of struggle' honored, by Charles Wilson.

"Over 200 supporters attended the salute, held here (i.e. Chicago) Saturday, October 24, at the Americana Congress Hotel."

  • Dr. Sandra E. Lowe - was mistress of ceremonies. "A leading Chicago psychologist, Dr. Lowe is chairperson of the {CAARPR) and an executive board member for the National Alliance (NAARPR)."
  • Toni Morrison - featured on the program was Toni Morrison, author of four novels, including "Tar Baby" and {Song of Solomon), and winner of the 1978 National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction. Ms. Morrison is currently senior editor at [{Random House]] publishers and served as editor of Angela Davis's autobiography. "Ms. Morrison spoke about the decision by some 3,000 writers at the recent [{Writers Congress]] (i.e. probably the soon-to-be American Writers Congress) to form a writers union in response to 'finding the situation in this country so awful, so terrible, so destructive of the future, and so destructive of the past.'"

"The awards presentations to the Board of Outstanding Women were made by:

The recipients were:

The Eddie Carthan Support Project in Los Angeles, November 6, 1982

A rally supporting jailed former Tchula, Mississippi mayor Eddie Carthan was scheduled for November 6, 1982 at the 1st A.M.E. Church, 2270 S. Harvard, Los Angeles, sponsored by the CPUSA front, the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression NAARPR Los Angeles branch. Its key speakers were, according to a flier distributed at UCLA in October, 1982, the following:

[Photos of Davis, Carthan, Mitchell and Waters] appeared on the leaflet]

Los Angeles Branch, NAARPR 3870 S. Crenshaw Blvd, Box 104776 Los Angeles, Ca.

Billed as a "Rally" with the speakers on "The Campaign to Free Mayor Carthan", the leaflet said the following about the case:

"Eddie Carthan, young, black, liberal Mayor of Tchula, Mississippi, faces the death penalty on a frame-up murder charge. At the age of 12, Carthan went to jail for marching with Martin Luther King. As mayor, he was convicted of "interfering" with a bogus chief of police whom he had not appointed; then of fraud because two men convicted of making phoney (sic) sales to Tchula claimed Carthan gave them permission to forge his name; and now he goes on trial on a marcher charge to which two men have already pleaded guilty. As a potential four time loser, Mayor Carthan faces a mandatory death penalty!.

He was acquired of the charge in 1982. The whole issue involved racial politics and power grabs in the city, which left a lot of bad blood been all parties concerned.

Subsections of the flier included:

  • Tchula: The Reality
  • Tchula: The Promise
  • The Reaction
  • The Tchula Seven
  • The Assault Continues
  • The Attack Intensifies
  • The Implications
  • Fighting Back
  • How You Can Help

The national NAARPR leadership and Endorses for November, 1982 was also included on page 3 of the flier, as follows: -Executive Committee-

-National Coordinating Committee-

-Office Staff-

Partial List of Endorsers:

Executive Committee

Angela Davis 40th Birthday and NAARPR Celebration, January 29, 1984, City College, New York City

To honor the 40th birthday of Communist Party USA CPUSA leader, the CPUSA front, NAARPR, planned a birthday celebration for her at the City College, New York City.[9]

Scheduled Guest Speakers:

Emcees:

Performing Artists:

Committees of Correspondence Connection

In 1994 NAARPR, Chicago was listed on a "Membership, Subscription and Mailing List" for the Chicago Committees of Correspondence, an offshoot of the Communist Party USA.[10].

Most Chicago National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression activists are also members of Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism.

2008 awards

The National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression's Human Rights Awards Dinner was held on Saturday, October 13, 2008, at the Lutheran School of Theology, 1100 E. 55th St, Chicago. The keynote speaker was Cynthia McKinney. Howard Morgan and Rosalind Morgan, Gloria Johnson-Ester, Virginia Clements, Dr. Connie Mennella, and Mary Muse were recipients of the Alliance's Human Rights Award.[11]

2009 awards

On April 18 2009 the Chicago branch of National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, a front first for the Communist Party USA, latterly for the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism, awarded several local activists its highest honour.

According to a report from the Communist Party USA's People's Weekly World[12].

Human Rights awards were granted to honorees at the event whose work includes ending the death penalty, overturning wrongful convictions, the fight against racism and efforts to help victims of the prison industrial complex.

The honorees included;

Patricia Hill, executive director of the African American Police League; Jane Raley, senior staff attorney with the Northwestern Law School; Judith Stuart, an anti-prison activist, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, retired Pastor with the Trinity United Church of Christ; and Karen Yarbrough, Illinois state representative.

Dr. Barbara Ransby, a professor in the African American Studies Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago, emceed the award ceremony.

2010 awards

Democratic Socialists of America member Timuel Black received the Human Rights Award from the Chicago branch of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, on Saturday, April 17, 2010 at their annual Dinner. The organization also honored Charlene Mitchell, Mark Clements, and Bernardine Dohrn. Professor Gerald Horne was the keynote speaker.[13]

Personnel

NAARPR Chicago Branch Steering Committee, as of 2009:[1]

Volunteers:

Practicum Students:

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 NAARPR website: Welcome to the NAARPR Chicago Branch (accessed on Sept. 12, 2010)
  2. ↑ , paper for CPUSA 29th National Convention, Angelo D\'Angelo & Ed Wlody May 19 2010
  3. ↑ Revolutionary Activities Directed Toward the Administration of Penal or Correctional Systems, Part 4, HISC, Hearings, July 25, 1973, in part, p. 1654 and additional sponsors, p. 1655, to "A Call to a Founding Conference for a National Defense Organization Against Racist and Political Repression"
  4. ↑ Revolutionary Activities Directed Toward the Administration of Penal or Correctional Systems, Part 4, Hearings, HISC, July 25, 1973, in part
  5. ↑ additional information on Lynn is found in Guerrilla Warfare Advocates in the United States, Report, HCUA, May 6, 1968 and Subversive Influences in Riots, Looting and Burning, Part 1, Hearings, HCUA, Oct. 25, 26, & 31 as attorney for Maoist black revolutionary Robert F. Williams, Nov. 28, 1967, p. 919, Freedom Now Party "Formed by former Communist Party member Conrad Lynn and Red China travel-ban violator William Worthy for the purpose of running an all-Negro slate of electors in the 1964 elections."
  6. ↑ Revolutionary Activities Directed Toward the Administration of Penal or Correctional Systems, Part 3, HISC, hearings July 24-25,1973, in part; NLG
  7. ↑ p. 11/ftnt 169 re: Subversive Involvement in Disruption of 1968 Democratic party National Convention, Part 1, Oct. 1, 1968, HCUA, p. 2304.
  8. ↑ Fifteenth Report Un-American Activities in California 1970, Report of the Senate Fact-Finding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities, to the 1970 Regular Session of the California Legislature, Sacramento, California, 1967 and 1965 reports, and HCUA hearings and reports on Operation Abolition, 1960's
  9. ↑ Daily World, "Birthday Celebration for Angela Davis", January 26, 1984, P. 3
  10. ↑ Chicago CoC "Membership, Subscription and Mailing List" 10.14.94
  11. ↑ New Ground, 114, Sept./October 2007
  12. ↑ http://www.peoplesworld.org/angela-davis-not-another-prison/
  13. ↑ New Ground, 128, Jan./Feb. 2010
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