Wednesday, August 13
6:00 pm
Indianapolis Liberation Center
Revolution doesn’t come from nowhere. It’s built by people who dare to resist and who learn from those who came before. Join us on August 11 to discuss “Our history of struggle,” a module in All Power to the People: A Summer School for Socialism, which grounds us in the long legacy of struggle that shaped the U.S. and the world.
We will begin by building our understanding of how slavery, colonialism, and white supremacy laid the foundations of US capitalism, and how generations of Black freedom fighters launched revolutionary movements to challenge it. From Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Revolution era, these struggles held a mirror to U.S. society and forced it to reckon with its own contradictions. We study them not just to honor the past, but to draw lessons for the battles ahead.
To prepare for the discussion, please register here, watch the class recordings linked below, and read the “Our history of struggle” reading packet.
The unfinished revolution
Black Reconstruction
Reconstruction was one of the most revolutionary periods in U.S. history. After the Civil War, newly freed Black communities organized to transform society: building schools, seizing political power, redistributing land, and redefining what freedom really means. This class explores Reconstruction as a working-class experiment in democracy and socialism, and asks why the white ruling class so violently overthrew it. By returning to this “unfinished revolution,” we uncover lessons about power, repression, and the ongoing fight for a “third reconstruction” today.
The civil rights revolution
The second reconstruction
The Civil Rights revolution shook the foundations of U.S. capitalism and imperialism. This class examines how Black organizers advanced revolutionary demands, built mass organizations, and linked domestic liberation with international struggles. We’ll look at what these movements achieved, how the state responded, and what they teach us about the challenges of building power in the heart of the empire.
Featured Photo: All Power to the People: A Summer School for Socialism