Published: The Black Revolutionary, Vol. 1, No. 1, May 1971.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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There is a new upsurge in the struggle of Black People against racial discrimination and violent repression. The revolutionary mass movement of Black People has thrown the fascist U.S. government into a panic. U.S. imperialism is making desperate efforts in a vain attempt to suppress these struggles.
The revolutionary upsurge of our people can be led to victory only by a revolutionary Party which is based on a revolutionary theory and follows a revolutionary style of work. Only such a Party can defeat the counter-revolutionary plots of the U.S. imperialists and their various erroneous trends and move the struggle of our people forward.
Recognizing this, we Black revolutionaries from the U.S. held a CONFERENCE on April 16, 17, and 18th (1971). In this conference, we summed up the experience of the struggle of our people and formed the BLACK REVOLUTIONARY PARTY. The BLACK REVOLUTIONARY PARTY undertook to produce its revolutionary journal, THE BLACK REVOLUTIONARY. In the first issue of this journal, we are producing the report of this conference. Included is a discussion on the general political situation and political and organizational guidelines.
The contradiction between the native Indian people and the colonizers of America and the contradiction between the enslaved Black People and the slave owners are two basic historical contradictions in America. These contradictions still exist. The struggle of Black People against racial discrimination and violent repression results from the second contradiction.
British and other colonizers used counter-revolutionary violence to colonize Africa. They ruthlessly exploited the wealth and labor of African nations. This was the enslavement of whole nations and is one form of slavery.
Not contented with the colonial plunder of Africa, the British and other colonizers re-introduced slavery and we were brought away from our beloved motherland to develop the land of America which was conquered from the heroic Indian people. This was the other form of slavery.
The colonizers distorted the history of Africa and made various attempts to show that Africa was not a nation, but their attempts failed. The people of Africa rose against colonization of their land. They took up arms to wage national liberation struggles. These national liberation struggles have become an invincible force now. The national liberation struggles of the people and nations of Africa are sure to be victorious.
The slave owners did everything to deny our existence in America as an enslaved nation. They separated us as individuals and as groups on plantations and broke up families and tribes to prevent us from fighting as a oppressed enslaved nation. Here too the treacherous plans of the white slave masters failed. The heroic resistance put forth by our forefathers against slavery has now developed into a mammoth force of national liberation struggle for the emancipation of Black People. Our struggle is not only a national struggle but also a class struggle because we were exploited and repressed as Black People (and still are). That is why our struggle has been a national-class struggle.
We were used as cheap slave labor to develop agricultural enterprises of the colonizers. The American bourgeoisie organized itself as a nation and ruling class and waged a War for its “independence” in 1776. This brought independence to slave owners. The American industrial bourgeoisie started a civil war with the white plantation owners for the control of slaves. The “Civil War” was thus not a war to liberate slave but for the control of slaves.
The use of violent repression to maintain ruthless exploitation of Black People continued, and slaves of the plantations were turned into slaves in the ghettos.
Black People continued to be discriminated against racially and exploited most ruthlessly. Violent repression is constantly used to suppress us and to maintain racial discrimination and exploitation. There are no civil liberties for Black People nor can there be without our complete emancipation. Many attempts are made to show that racial discrimination is not an essential part of the ruthless exploitation of Black People, but historical facts show that both racial discrimination and maximal exploitation originate at the point of production and is reflected in the community.
Black People are given the hardest and the lowest paid jobs. We are thrown out of jobs whenever the U.S. monopoly capitalist faces the slightest bit of crisis. Today when U.S. imperialism is beset with un-solvable problems, the violent repression of black people has increased tremendously. On the other hand the revolutionary struggle of Black People has forged ahead and our unity*with the revolutionary struggles of the people of Asia, Africa and Latin America and the people of the world is firmer than ever before.
The imperialists attempt to show that Black People were servile and have no history of resistance and struggle. They tell us that we gained everything due to the generosity of slave owners and imperialists, but this is an utter lie. The history of Black People is one of continued resistance against slavery, against racial discrimination and against violent repression. The struggle of Black People from the very beginning was heroically violent and organized and was not simply that of an individual slave trying to liberate himself. Slaves from a plantation -organized themselves and waged revolutionary struggles, however, the concentration of slaves into separate plantations and the isolation of the slaves of one plantation from those of other plantations prevented our struggles from becoming united on a national scale even though they retained their national character.
Black People have never stopped their struggle for complete emancipation. People have organized on many levels to fight for emancipation. Many of these organizations reflected the true aspirations of Black People. These struggles and the experience of these organizations has taught profound lessons to Black People. The Civil Liberties Movement led by Martin Luther King taught us that the struggle of Black People against racial discrimination and violent repression must be one of ARMED SELF DEFENSE and not of non-violent protest. Many organizations undertook the revolutionary slogan Of ARMED SELF DEFENSE. It is this aspect of the struggle of Black People that the imperialists feared most and made constant attempts to channel the slogan of ARMED SELF DEFENSE to that of passive resistance. We were told that our emancipation lies in winning the right to “compete” in the so-called “free” enterprises of the monopolists. Experiences of Black People clearly show that this is an utter lie. That is why all Black Revolutionaries like Malcolm X who integrated himself with the masses of Black People and wanted to serve them reached the conclusion that Armed Self Defense is the only and correct way to defend themselves against violent repression.
The correct line in the struggle of Black People has reflected the true aspirations of our people and the objective experience of the struggle for complete emancipation. This line has been consistently held by the broad masses of Black People. The struggle of Black People against racial discrimination and violent repression is a national-class struggle and takes the form of ARMED SELF DEFENSE at various levels. Complete emancipation of Black People can only be won with the defeat of the evil system of imperialism. That is why the struggle of Black People is a part and parcel of the struggle of the American working class and people and indeed of the world’s peoples struggle against U.S. imperialism.
The incorrect line in our struggle has persistently attempted to subvert the revolutionary core of Black Peoples struggle. The revisionist “Communist Party of the U.S.A.” opposes the “Just” struggle of Black People by advocating that U.S. imperialism is too strong and therefore Black People should depend on the “sensibleness” of the U.S. fascist government. Then there are various sections which try to show that the struggle of Black People is for more civil liberties and can be won by asking for them. The fact is that there are no civil liberties for Black People nor can there be under imperialism. Attempts are also made to show that racial discrimination has no material basis and is a moral question. The fact is that racial discrimination is an integral part of extreme exploitation of Black People. The left phrasemongerers constantly deny the national-class nature of our struggle and advocate that Black People should not fight for their emancipation; instead they should depend on others for their own struggle. Another way the left phrase-mongering manifests itself is that Black People should not attack U.S. imperialism which uses fascist repression on Black People but should fight against the rest of the people in America. In summary, all incorrect trends are directed to oppose the right of Black People to use ARMED SELF DEFENSE to fight racial discrimination and violent repression.
The U.S. Imperialists have used genocidal and racist tactics to colonize the American Native Indians and to exploit them as they have to tried to exploit all National Minorities.
Long Live the Just and heroic struggle of the American Native Indian For their Just and Hereditary Rights Against U.S. Racism & Imperialism.
We of National Minorities do have much unity for we share a common cause, common plight: that of complete emancipation. We also have a common enemy – U.S. Monopoly Capitalist Rulers. We also thoroughly understand that until the U.S. Monopoly Capitalist are “Overthrown”, no National Minority can ever gain complete emancipation. We further feel that the most important aspect of the development of unity among National Minorities is that “unity develops through struggle against a common oppressor and this is how unity has developed among us.
* * *
The Black Revolutionary Party holds high the memory of all the Brothers and Sister who heroically died in the course of our “Just Struggle” for complete emancipation. We humbly “Salute” their most courageous and admirable deeds. We also would like to add two quotations that are most appropriate:
“A slave of natural death who dies – can’t balance out to two dead flies on the scales of eternity – I rather be without the shame– bullet lodged within my brain – if I were not to reach or fight for our goal (complete emancipation) let bleeding cancer torment my soul”. (By Bunchy Carter)
Further: “All men must die, but death can vary in its significance. The Ancient Chinese writer Szuma Chien said, “Though death befalls all men alike, it may be weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather.” To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather.” (By Mao)
In the above context we do vow to courageously carry on in the brave traditions of those Brothers and Sisters who relentlessly fought and died for our emancipation. We have no illusions about struggling in an uncompromising and revolutionary manner. We know our struggle against racial discrimination and violent repression is “just” and we will never turn back– this is definitely the tradition of those who fought before us. Victory Will Be Ours.
Long Live The Revolutionary Struggle Of Black People!
Long Live The Black Revolutionary Party!
Long Live The Vivid Heroic Contributions Of Our Revolutionary Martyrs!
Long Live The Unity Of Black People And The Oppressed People Of The World!
Politically Organized Armed Self Defense Can Combat Violent Fascist Repression!
Organize To Change The World!
* * *
Our entire history shows that the revolutionary upsurge of Black People cannot be suppressed, despite the ferocious attempt of the fascist U.S. government. U.S. imperialism is facing an ever deepening crisis and is being progressively isolated both abroad and at home. This is bound to lead to a much larger upsurge in the revolutionary struggle of the entire American Working Class and People. This mass revolutionary upsurge can only be moved further if the Black People persevere in their struggle against racial discrimination and violent repression.
The Black Revolutionary Party is formed at a time when the revolutionary upsurge of our people is high but a revolutionary organization to lead these struggles is lacking. U.S. imperialists and their agents have treacherously subverted our revolutionary organizations. The Black Revolutionary Party draws correct lessons from these experiences.
The Black Revolutionary Party is a Political Party of Black People to fight against racial discrimination and violent repression. It strives to correctly lead the struggle of our people. The core of our struggle is to Politically Organize ARMED SELF DEFENSE UNITS to combat racial discrimination and violent repression.
The Black Revolutionary Party puts Politics in command in building its organization and units. Without putting politics in command, without unified thinking and ideological solidarity, without organizational discipline based on its general political line and without defending what is just and opposing what is unjust, The Black Revolutionary Party cannot combat erroneous trends and cannot lead Black People in ARMED SELF DEFENSE against racial discrimination and violent repression.
The Black Revolutionary Party consists of the most advanced elements of our people with the revolutionary task of leading the broad masses of Black People in a stern and correct manner. It is not an open mass organization but it is an organization to lead mass struggles.
The Black Revolutionary Party must undertake to do large scale propaganda for its stand and programme, combat the attempts of the U.S. fascist government to create and promote racial chauvinism among the white working class and people. The Black Revolutionary Party considers that our struggle is a clarion call to all exploited and oppressed People. The Black Revolutionary Party holds that our struggle will definitely serve as a clarion call to other exploited and oppressed people of the United States to fight against the barbarous rule of the monopoly capitalist class. Our struggle is a part and parcel of the national liberation struggles of the oppressed peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America and of the World’s revolution.
The Black Revolutionary Party considers that the Native Indians, Puerto Ricans, Chicanos and other national minorities are closest allies in the struggle against racial discrimination and violent repression.
* * *
The BRP supports the “just” revolutionary struggle of all oppressed National Minorities and especially that of the American Native Indian.
* * *
In his statement Chairman Mao points out that the struggle of black people against racial discrimination and violent repression is not only the struggle of black people but it is also a clarion call to all exploited and oppressed people of the United States to fight against the barbarous rule of the monopoly capitalist class. This clearly shows the direction of the revolutionary struggle. It also shows the historic significance of the struggle against racial discrimination and violent repression. Black people were enslaved as blacks and ruthless exploitation of black people is maintained by racial discrimination and violent repression. That is why the revolutionary struggle of black people is at once a national-class struggle. This is a historic fact. Our experience has attested to this important formulation of Chairman Mao Tsetung.
Chairman Mao Tsetung also points outs that there is a new upsurge in the struggle of black people. It is a new upsurge in the long history of the heroic resistance which black people have waged ever since their enslavement. This new upsurge has brought the struggle of black people to a higher level With this new upsurge, our struggle has become a part of the national liberation struggle of the oppressed peoples and nations of Africa, Asia and Latin America and a part of world revolution. We are fighting the U.S. imperialist monster, the number one enemy of the world’s people, from the very heart land of imperialism. This new upsurge cannot be brought to its knees. U.S. imperialism has not won a single victory since the end of Second World War. Likewise, it can never succeed in suppressing the struggle of black people for emancipation.
Chairman Mao points out that the present struggle of black people is bound to merge with the revolutionary struggle of the rest of the American working class and people. So let us intensify our struggle against racial discrimination and violent repression. Let us continue to rise and defend ourselves resolutely. This is bound to further deepen the crisis in the U.S. fascist ruling class. All attempts of U.S. imperialists to create racial chauvinism in the white working class and people will surely fail and the masses of people will rise and unite into even a greater force to defeat the common enemy.
So brothers and sisters, let us forge our struggle ahead. Let us respond to the great support of Chairman Mao, the Chinese people and the people of the world. Our wrists are stronger than the iron chains which enslaved us. Let the U.S. fascist government crumble under our firm revolutionary attack. The people of the whole world are with us and they will rejoice at every victory of ours and participate in the common struggle. We are strong and the imperialists are weak. We have nothing to fear. Ours is a just cause.
WE HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT OUR CHAINS!!