- Civil Rights Congress
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The Civil Rights Congress (CRC) was a civil rights organization formed in 1946 by a merger of the International Labor Defense and the National Federation for Constitutional Liberties. It became known for involvement in civil rights cases such as the Trenton Six and justice for Isaiah Nixon. The CRC also held multiple high profile protests in Washington DC and at the UN. Due to its Communist Party affiliations, the CRC was cited as subversive and communist by U.S. President Harry S. Truman's Attorney General Thomas Clark
Contents
Leadership under William Patterson
International Labor Defense (ILD) national secretary William Patterson led the group throughout its existence.[1] Frank Marshall Davis served on the organizations National Executive Board.[2] Patterson also headed, the Abraham Lincoln School in Chicago, with Davis also on the faculty and Board of Directors.[3]
In December 1947, the National Negro Congress was merged with the CRC. In 1951, the Civil Rights Congress issued its a petition to the United Nations entitled, "We Charge Genocide: The Crime of Government Against the Negro People".[4]
Further reading
- Report on Civil Rights Congress as a communist front organization. Investigation of un-American activities in the United States, Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, Eightieth Congress, first session. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off. September 2, 1947.
References
- ^ Gerald Horne, Communist Front? The Civil Rights Congress, 1946-1956 (Rutherford: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1987); Horne, Civil Rights Congress, in Mary Jo Buhle, Paul Buhle, and Dan Georgakas, eds., Encyclopedia of the American Left (New York: Garland Publishing, 1990), 134-135, BlackPast.org
- ^ Honolulu Record, May 12 1949, v.1 no.41. p.3.
- ^ Chicago Defender, October 20, 1945, cited in FBI file Frank Marshall Davis Correlation Summary 12/28/55, v.4 p.80 pdf.
- ^ We Charge Genocide, The Historic Petition to the United Nations for Relief from a Crime of the United States Government Against the Negro People, (New York, Civil Rights Congress 1951).
External links
- Civil Rights Congress (1946-1956) A history of the CRC at BlackPast.org.
Communist Party USA Endorsed candidates PresidentialVice PresidentialLeaders Charles Ruthenberg, Executive Secretary of old CPA (1919–1920); Executive Secretary of WPA/W(C)P (May 1922-1927) · Alfred Wagenknecht, Executive Secretary of CLP (1919–1920); of UCP (1920–1921) · Charles Dirba, Executive Secretary of old CPA (1920–1921); of unified CPA (May 30, 1921-July 27, 1921) · Louis Shapiro, Executive Secretary of old CPA (briefly, late 1920) · L.E. Katterfeld, Executive Secretary of unified CPA (July 27-1921-October 15, 1921) · William Weinstone, Executive Secretary of unified CPA (October 15, 1921-February 22, 1922) · Jay Lovestone Executive Secretary of unified CPA (February 22, 1922-August 22, 1922); of W(C)P/CPUSA (1927–1929) · James P. Cannon, National Chairman of WPA (Dec. 1921-1922) · Caleb Harrison, Executive Secretary of WPA (Dec. 1921-May 1922) · Abram Jakira, Executive Secretary of unified CPA (Aug. 22, 1922-dissolution of underground party in 1923) · William Z. Foster, Party Chairman (1929–1934) · Earl Browder, Party Chairman (1934–1945) · Eugene Dennis, General Secretary (1945–1959) and William Z. Foster, Party Chairman (1945–1957) · Gus Hall, General Secretary (1959–2000) · Sam Webb, Chairman (2000-present)Related articles Communist Labor Party · English-language press of the Communist Party USA (Non-English press) · International Publishers · Language federation · National conventions · The Communist Party USA and African-Americans,Categories:- Anti-racist organizations in the United States
- History of African-American civil rights
- Legal defense organizations in the United States
- Lynching in the United States
- Communist Party USA mass organizations
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