Black Leftist Leaders Advocate Revolution for Racial Liberation

Three Black leftist leaders yesterday agreed that American Blacks can only achieve liberation through revolt, but argued about whether whites should be allowed to participate in the process.

The three leaders told students in Afro-American Studies 142b, "Communism and Marxism in Black American Life," that Blacks must abandon peaceful efforts toward liberation, and stop working within a hostile system. Nazis and other right-wing groups are now organizing many whites into violent hate-groups, and will threaten Blacks "unless we smash the hell out of them." Aaron Estis '80, a representative of the Communist Workers Party, told an audience of about 30.

Blacks are "fundamentally a part of the proletariat," and their economic liberation can only be achieved by working with whites toward a socialist revolution. Edward Jarvis, a representative from the Spartacus Youth League said, adding "you cannot separate the problem of Black liberation from the problem of Black revolution."

Tumah, a representative of the All African People's Revolutionary Party, argued however that such white-dominated socialist groups are just "opportunists," adding that they "use Black people to push their own programs."

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Only when they get to their "real homeland" of Africa will Blacks be able to achieve any real political power, Tumah said. "We can say to General Motors, if you don't treat your Black workers better, we're not going to give you any chrome to make your cars," he added.

The representatives were invited to address a regular class meeting of Afro-Am 142, but because of "wide interest" in the panel, the class was moved to a larger classroom in Sever Hall, Harrington W. Benjamin, assistant professor of Afro-American Studies, said yesterday.