Al Marder
Template:TOCnestleft Alfred (Al) L Marder is a Connecticut peace activist and Communist Party USA member.
He is the father of Kenneth Marder and Rebecca Marder.[1]
2021 Amistad Awards Host Committee
The Connecticut People's World Committee presented its annual Amistad Awards on Saturday December 12 2021 to mark the 102nd anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party USA, with awards being presented to Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, Pastor Rodney Wade of Waterbury and SEIU activist Azucena Santiago.
The Former Awardees Host Committee was Rob Baril, Jan Hochadel, Wildaliz Bermudez, Rochelle Palache, John Humphries, Ken Suzuki, Shellye Davis, Louise Simmons, Eva Bermudez Zimmerman, Peggy Buchanan, Robyn Porter, Camila Bortolleto, Carolina Bortolleto, Jeanette Morrison, Dan Livingston, Juan Brito Ciro Gutierrez, Cindy Harrity, Jill Marks, Alberto Bernardez, Dan Durant, Meg Riccio, Laurie Kennington, Edwin Vargas, Jr., Fatima Rojas, Toni Harp, Kurt Westby, Delphine Clyburn, Renae Reese, John Olsen, Carmen Boudier, Anna Montalvo, Gwen Mills, Alfred L. Marder, Juan Hernandez, Kathleen Cooper, Jorge Perez, Rev Scott Marks, John Harrity, Dolores Colon, Migdalia Castro, Blair Bertaccini, Teresa Younger, Pearl Granat.
Canadian connection
Early years
In his early years, Marder served as Executive Director of the Connecticut CIO Youth and Sports Organization and was President of the New Haven Youth Conference.
He served in the United States Infantry during World War II and was stationed in the European Theater where he received the Bronze Star.
Following the war, Marder completed his college education at the University of Connecticut and "soon found a passion that he would pursue for the rest of his life".[2]
Al Marder was an organizer for the Communist Party USA in 1952. He organized with others the City of New Haven Peace Commission in the late 80's. He has served on the United Nations International Association of Peace Messenger Cities. One of his projects was to reproduce the vessel the Amistad in 1994[3].
UN Day of Peace
Joelle Fishman September 21 2019 at 10:21 PM ·
New Haven City HallLike Page September 20 at 2:54 PM ·
Mayor Toni Harp and members of the Greater New Haven Peace Council (including Alfred Marder) dedicated a newly planted tree Friday, to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Peace, remembering those killed by gun violence in American communities and in wars abroad. Mayor Harp reaffirmed the commitment of New Haven to be a peace messenger city, with ongoing action to advance the cause for peace and justice.
Amistad
The Amistad story has a "special connection to the New Haven community and its resurrection and celebration has become a great source of pride." It led to the erection of a statue of Sengbe Pieh at City Hall, the re-creation of the Amistad ship at Mystic Seaport, and the formation of the Connecticut African American Freedom Trail. Through each of these efforts, the story of the Amistad and its captives’ fight for freedom teaches new generations of the fundamental liberties on which our nation was built. It has had an extraordinary impact on our community and would not have been possible without Al’s commitment to ensuring its success.[4]
Communist Party reformer
In 1991 Al Marder, Connecticut was one of several hundred Communist Party USA members to sign the a paper "An initiative to Unite and Renew the Party"-most signatories left the Party after the December 1991 conference to found Committees of Correspondence.[5]
New Haven People's Center
In 2002, Al Marder was president of Progressive Research and Associates, an organization created to run the New Haven People's Center.[6]
Peace and Solidarity Commission
In 2002 Al Marder, was a Communist Party USA Peace and Solidarity Commission member.[7]
U.S. Peace Council
In 2004, Al Marder was president of the U.S. Peace Council.
Communist Party USA
In September 2006 the Peoples Weekly World[8]listed several members, or supporters of the Connecticut Communist Party USA.
Al Marder, Art Perlo, Brian Steinberg, Dorothy Johnson, Eda diBiccari, Edie Fishman, Edward Broderick, George Fishman , Henry Lowendorf, James Barnes Jr, Joelle Fishman, Joseph Taylor, Lola Johnson, Mary Johnson, Melvin Gonzalez Mendez, Pamela Saffer, Yusuf Gursey, Sallie Caswell Thomas, Tom Connolly Reed Smith Jr .
United for Peace and Justice Affiliation
In July 2007 Alfred Marder representing U.S. Peace Council / Greater New Haven Peace Council was affiliated to United for Peace and Justice.[9]
Open Letter to Obama on Iran
In 2008 Alfred Marder of the U.S. Peace Council, New Haven, Connecticut signed an online petition “A Open Letter to Barack Obama on Iran”.
2008 Amistad Awards
Dec. 7, 2008 Al Marder was one of three honorees to receive the Amistad Award from the People’s Weekly World at a reception at 4:00 pm at the New Haven People's Center, 37 Howe Street. Other recipients are Kathy Jackson, chairwoman of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists in Connecticut and Juan Hernandez, Assistant District Leader of SEIU 32 BJ Justice for Janitors. [10]
"Fulfilling the Promise of Human Rights"
"Fulfilling the Promise of Human Rights: the Universal Declaration at 60 the Universal Declaration at 60" was a Connecticut conference marking the 60th anniversary of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT Dec. 6, 2008.
Keynote Address by U.S. Rep. John Conyers, Jr. of Michigan with introduction by Alfred Marder, Greater New Haven Peace Council and Connecticut State Sen. Toni Harp.[11]
Peace Commission
The City of New Haven Peace Commission is an organ of the City of Hartford Connecticut. It was organized in the 1980s by Communist Party USA leader Alfred Marder and has been infiltrated by local communists ever since.
Members in 2009;[12]
- Green Hon. Allan Brisson - 12/31/2009
- Dem. Frank Cochran - 2/1/2011
- Dem. Hon. Dolores Colon - NH Board of Alderman 12/31/2009
- Dem. Celestino Cordova - 2/1/2011
- Unaff. Joelle Fishman - 2/1/2012
- Dem. Seth Godfrey - 2/1/2011
- Ind. Emanuel Gomez - 2/1/2011
- Dem. Aaron Goode - 2/1/2010
- Dem. Bishop Colon Haywood, Sr. - 1/1/2010
- Unaff. Rev. Sara Lamar-Sterling - 2/1/2011
- Unaff. John J. Lugo - 2/1/2010
- Rep. Alfred Marder Chairman 2/1/2011
Disarm Now! conference
In June 2010, Alfred Marder addressed the Disarm Now! Conference, Riverside Church, New York. (Workshop: Peace as a Human Right) is president of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities, vice president of the World Peace Council, and president of the U.S. Peace Council.[13]
U.S.Peace Council Petition on Korea
In December Alfred L. Marder, Catherine Goodman and Bahman Azad were listed as the originators of a U.S. Peace Council "Petition to President Barack Obama and Congress to end the Korean War and Normalize Relations".[14]
- We call on U.S. government to stop its repeated “war games” threatening North Korea, to stop demonizing but rather recognize North Korea as a sovereign nation, to engage the North Korean government in meaningful direct talks to end the Korean War, to sign a peace treaty, to remove all U.S. military bases and troops from South Korea, to negotiate with North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons as part of global nuclear abolition, and to normalize diplomatic and trade relations between the two nations.
Alfred L. Marder 90th Birthday Celebration
The March 2012 Host Committee, in honor of Connecticut Communist Party USA member Alfred Marder's 90th Birthday Celebration, held at the New Haven People's Center consisted of;
Hon. Rosa DeLauro, Sen. Toni Harp, Sen. Martin Looney, Rep. Juan Candelaria, Rep. Patricia Dillon, Rep. Toni Edmonds Walker, Rep. Gary Holder-Winfield, Rep. Roland Lemar, Ald. Jorge Perez, President, New Haven Board of Aldermen, Ambassador Sylvester Rowe, Mohammed Barrie, Vinie Burrows, Mary Compton, Joelle Fishman, Craig Gauthier, Emanuel Gomez, Hilda Kilpatrick, Henry Lowendorf, Kenneth Marder, Rev. Scott Marks,William Morico, John Olsen, Quentin Snediker, Jarvis Tyner, Andrea van den Heever, Susan Yolen
A statement issued on the committee's behalf read;[15]
- Dear Friends and Family of Al Marder,
- We are excited to invite you to celebrate the 90th birthday of Al Marder and to recognize his many contributions, international and local, toward world peace, justice and equality.
- Please join us in this joyous occasion on Sunday, March 18, at 3:00 pm at the New Haven Peoples Center, 37 Howe Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511.
- The afternoon will include remarks, greetings, cultural expressions, and refreshments.
- Among Al's many projects, there is one he selected for support on this occasion. The New Haven Peoples Center is a site on the African American Freedom Trail in Connecticut. It provides social, cultural and educational opportunities for the community. From his youth, Al has taken part in the activities of the Peoples Center, where today he serves as president.
Veteran's petition
August 25, 2012, a "group of veterans" called on Governor Dannel Malloy to restore the request for funding for restoration of 37 Howe Street, site of the Communist Party USA's New Haven People's Center.
The Governor removed the item from the state bonding budget after an opposition group from outside New Haven, citing their veteran status, protested the proposed funding on the grounds that Communists are part of the building. The bonding request would restore brick work on the 1851 Italianate structure which is a site on the Connecticut Freedom Trail.
The announcement was made as the New Haven Peoples Center celebrated its 75th anniversary with a family backyard cookout and cultural event including music and children's crafts. After supporters crowded on the front lawn for a group photograph, messages of solidarity and support were delivered by elected officials, labor leaders and community activists.
The letter from the veterans reads in part: "We deplore the manipulation of a few Veterans, for narrow political purposes, who do not understand that the New Haven Peoples Center is an historic building,
We call for the restoration of the request of the New Haven Peoples Center for funding.
- Alfred Marder, Company M. 14th Infantry Regiment, 71st Division, Recipient Bronze Star[16]
70th anniversary of the victory over Fascism
Henry Lowendorf was in Moscow, June 2015, with Alfred Marder, for the 70th anniversary of the victory over Fascism.
Marder addressed a large Communist Party of the Russian Federation rally in downtown Moscow and was personally hugged at the end by Party leader Gennadi Zyuganov.
Nuclear Weapons Abolition and Economic and Energy Conversion Act
April 2016 , Greater New Haven Peace Council activists petitioned Rep. Rosa DeLauro to sponsor the Nuclear Weapons Abolition and Economic and Energy Conversion Act (HR 1976).
Signatures on petition signed at event 4/29/16: Representative Rosa DeLauro constituents:[17]
Delegation to Syria press briefing
Bashar Ja’afari (Syria) and US Peace Council Representatives on Syria - Press Conference
Press briefing sponsored by the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic, August 9, 2016.
U.S. Peace Council, a 7-member USPC delegation composed of representatives of a number of U.S. anti-war organizations, labor activists, lawyers, educators, and independent journalists, was approved by the Syrian Government to visit Syria for a 6-day fact-finding trip, which was completed on July 30, 2016. Press conference at the UN on 9th August 2016. http://uspeacecouncil.org/ The U.S. Peace Council is a multi-racial, pro-working class, anti-imperialist organization committed to peace, economic and social justice and to international solidarity with the peoples of the world. The U.S. Peace Council was founded in 1979 in the major Cities. It is affiliated with the World Peace Council, the world’s largest peace organization and an NGO member of the United Nations.
U.S. Peace Council (USPC):
- H.E. Bashar Ja’afari, Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic
- Alfred Marder, President of the US Peace Council
- Mary Compton, Member of the Executive Board of the U.S. Peace Council
- Henry Lowendorf, Member of the Executive Board of the U.S. Peace Council, Head of the Syria Delegation
- Joe Jamison, Member of the Executive Board of the U.S. Peace Council, Member of the Syria Delegation
- Madelyn Hoffman, Executive Director of New Jersey Peace Action, Member of the Syria Delegation
- Donna Nassor, Professor and Lawyer also part of U.S. Peace Council
Other members of the delegation
- Gerry Condon, co-leader of delegation
- Judith Bello, Member of the Syria Delegation
- Vanessa Beeley, Member of the Syria Delegation[18]
References
- ↑ Rosa DeLauro, Congressional Record, March 20, 2012
- ↑ Rosa DeLauro, Congressional Record, March 20, 2012
- ↑ http://ctpeoplebeforeprofits.blogspot.com/2008_12_01_archive.html
- ↑ Rosa DeLauro, Congressional Record, March 20, 2012
- ↑ Addendum to Initiative document Nov. 13 1991
- ↑ [1] Yale Daily news, December 11. 2002, Communist Party U.S.A. holds rally
- ↑ [http://www.peoplesworld.org/cpusa-conference-urges-all-out-mobilization-apr-20-march-for-peace-and-justice/, PW, CPUSA conference urges all-out mobilization Apr. 20 march for peace and justice,by: Evelina Alarcon, March 22 2002
- ↑ We salute the labor movement!, People's World, September 1, 2006
- ↑ http://www.knology.net/~bilrum/UFPJGroups071607.htm
- ↑ PW, Connecticut conference highlights Declaration of Human Rights anniversary by: JOELLE FISHMAN december 2 2008
- ↑ Fulfilling the Promise of Human Rights: the Universal Declaration at 60
- ↑ [2] City of new haven website, accessed August 16, 2010
- ↑ [3] conference speaker bios, accessed, July 18, 2010
- ↑ Sign the USPC Petition on Korea, Petition to President Barack Obama and Congress to end the Korean War and Normalize Relations, USPC website, accessed Dec. 29, 2010
- ↑ New haven People's center blog, Tuesday, March 6, 2012, Alfred L. Marder 90th Birthday Celebration
- ↑ [http://peoplescenter.blogspot.co.nz/, SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2013 Immigrants' Rights are Workers Rights!]
- ↑ [4]
- ↑ [5]