race
Information about race, racism and anti-racism.
1917-1921: The Industrial Workers of Africa
The history of four years of the revolutionary multi-racial union in South Africa, the Industrial Workers of Africa, and the labour movement at the time.
"Fight for Africa, which you deserve"
Johannesburg, South Africa. May 1918. A group of African workers, and a handful of white radicals, meet in a small room behind a general store on the corner of Fox and McLaren streets, as they have done on a weekly basis for over a year. Several new faces are present, so Rueben Cetiwe, a key African militant, outlines the purpose of the gathering:
1960-today: Skinhead culture
A short history of Skinhead culture from its birth in 1960s Britain, and its relation to racist, anti-racist and working class politics.
Oi Oi Oi! A brief history of skinheads
-800BC-today: A very brief history of racism
A quick look at the origins of racism in modern society from its roots in the justification of slavery.
Any discussion of racism needs to examine the roots of racism in order to understand it and to struggle against it effectively. There are basically three explanations for the existence of racism.
1958: Beating back Mosley in Notting Hill
A Notting Hill resident recounts his story of fighting racists and fascists in West London.
"Mosley tried to stir up a conflict between the blacks and the whites because his aim was to drive the blacks frorn North Kensington, to drive them from the shores of England. I wasn't for that because I came here to fight for the mother country...
1934: Queensland canecutters' strike
The history of the victorious strike of mostly migrant cane-cutting workers in Australia. To secure the victory the workers had to overcome the bosses' resistance, the police and the racist trade union.
Like many other anti- fascists, Francesco Carmagnola was forced to emigrate from Italy because of fascist violence. From his arrival in 1922, he was increasingly active and prominent in organising anti fascist activities in North Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne.
1971: The Attica prison uprising
Against the background of the mass revolutionary, black power and prisoners' movements in the US, a four day revolt began on September 13, 1971 at the Attica Correctional Facility near Buffalo, NY in the United States. Its repression left 39 people killed.
"If we can't live as men, we sure as hell can die as men"
- Attica prisoner
1878-1879: The Australian maritime strike
A short history of the 1878 strike of sailors and maritime workers in Australia which prevented the seaman being sacked and replaced by cheaper workers.
The seamen's strike in 1878 was the first intercolonial dispute in Australia. The Australasian Steam Navigation Company decided to replace all their Australian seamen with Chinese seamen in late 1878. The reason: they were paying Australian seamen eight pounds per month, but could get away with paying Chinese seamen three pounds per month.
1990-1994: The genocide and war in Rwanda
Between half a million and a million people out of Rwanda's total population of 8 million, died in a few weeks between April and June 1994. This article gives a brief account of how, and why and what role Western governments played.
For a background history of Rwanda and neighbouring Buruni, we recommend reading our article Rwanda and Burundi – A History, 1894-1990.
1833-1849: The Dorr Rebellion
Howard Zinn's history of a movement in the United States against a political system which permitted the vote only to landowners. Drafting their own “People’s Convention” the rebels were let down by some of their own ideas, such as racism, and were put down by force.
Taking the case to the Supreme Court, the precedent was then set that the Court should not meddle in politics.
17. "Or Does It Explode?"
The black revolt of the 1950s and 1960s-North and South-came as a surprise. But perhaps it should
not have. The memory of oppressed people is one thing that cannot be taken away, and for such
people, with such memories, revolt is always an inch below the surface. For blacks in the United
States, there was the memory of slavery, and after that of segregation, lynching, humiliation. And it
