The Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) was established on this day in 1919. CPUSA provided legal aid to the Scottsboro Boys, helped poor Southern farmers form sharecropper unions, and promoted communist ideas within the U.S.

The party was established after a split in the Socialist Party of America following the Russian Revolution, and initially operated underground due to the Palmer Raids, a series of anti-immigrant, anti-labor, and anti-communist raids conducted by Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer.

CPUSA was an early opponent of segregation and racial discrimination, giving legal aid to the Scottsboro Boys and helping poor black farmers in the South organize sharecropper unions. Because of this, the party had a strong presence in Alabama in the 1930s. This history is detailed in “Hammer and Hoe: Alabama Communists during the Great Depression” by historian Robin D.G. Kelley.

Hammer and Hoe pdf cpusa

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  • keepcarrot [she/her]@hexbear.net
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    1 year ago

    Heard some pretty old school anti-asian racism as I got to the pub today to get dinner. :( I am visibly non-white and idk if it was in response to me. Just kinda shut it out. Just super weird to hear (if you want to know, it’s the sucky sucky one)

    • forcequit [she/her]@hexbear.net
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      1 year ago

      meow-hug

      Maybe I’m trying to distance myself from its prevalence, but I feel like you’ve either gotta be way too old or way too young to pull that one out these days?
      Regardless, that’s fucked. I’m sorry

      • keepcarrot [she/her]@hexbear.net
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        1 year ago

        Some old tradies at the bar next to me. I don’t even know if they were saying it in response to me arriving and taking off my headphones.

        I vaguely remember it was in Southpark at some stage?

        • forcequit [she/her]@hexbear.net
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          1 year ago

          tradies at the bar

          wtyp

          victim blaming aside, yeah it was pretty ubiquitous 10-20 years ago, probably from south park as you suggest. Trash show with trash cultural influence lol :s

          • keepcarrot [she/her]@hexbear.net
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            1 year ago

            I’m actually pretty sure it was solely responsible for a rise in anti-semitic language on the playground. Also being very libertarian “centrist” about everything.

            • forcequit [she/her]@hexbear.net
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              1 year ago

              definitely popularized “hating everyone equally”, and id definitely never heard some of the antisemitic language before it.

              “Mum, what’s a *****?”