Mark Durham
Mark Durham...
Black Press Institute
In 1987 Mark Durham, 1st Congressional Dist. Regional Dir. -, was on the Board of Directors of the Black Press Institute[1].
Connections
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.[2]
References
- ↑ Black Press Institute Letterhead October 5 1987
- ↑ FB News, Josephine Wyatt, fighter for African American freedom and socialism remembered By staff | November 14, 2017