SEP and IYSSE meeting series in the United States

Race, Class and the Fight for Socialism: Perspectives for the Coming Revolution in America

11 October 2019

The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) in the US and its youth and student movement, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), is holding a series of meetings on “Race, Class and the Fight for Socialism: Perspectives for the Coming Revolution in America.”

This series is the socialist answer to the New York Times “1619 Project,” which has been accompanied by an unprecedented publicity blitz, including at schools and campuses throughout the country. The occasion they cite for the publication of this project is the 400th anniversary of the arrival of 20 African slaves at Point Comfort, Virginia.

The Times project raises the question: Is race the driving force of history, as the Times insists? Or, as Karl Marx analyzed, is it class? Is “anti-black racism … in the very DNA of this country” as the Times writes? Or is the history of the United States fundamentally the history of class struggle? As social inequality reaches record levels, is America heading toward race war or socialist revolution?

The promotion of the 1619 Project takes place under conditions of expanding class struggle internationally and a growing interest in socialism among workers and youth in the United States. Its aim is to block the development of a united movement of workers across all races by cultivating racial divisions.

These meetings will refute the historical falsifications advanced in the 1619 Project, explain their underlying political motivations and present the strategy for socialist revolution in America today.

Featured speakers:

Niles Niemuth is a member of the National Committee of the Socialist Equality Party and a writer for the World Socialist Web Site. In 2016 he was the Socialist Equality Party’s candidate for vice president and in 2018 ran for congress in Michigan. He holds a Masters’ degree in African American history and is also a co-author of the recently released pamphlet, The New York Times 1619 project: A racialist falsification of US and world history.

Tom Mackaman is a writer for the World Socialist Web Site with a focus on socialism and the history of the American labor movement. He is also a co-author of the recently released pamphlet, The New York Times 1619 project; A racialist falsification of US and world history.

Joseph Kishore is the National Secretary of the Socialist Equality Party and writer for the World Socialist Web Site. He has written extensively on American politics, working class struggles, and the history of the socialist movement.

Eric London is a member of the National Committee of the Socialist Equality Party and writer for the World Socialist Web Site with a focus on US politics, immigration, US history, Latin America, workers struggles and democratic rights. He is also the author of the recently released book Agents: The FBI and GPU Infiltration of the Trotskyist Movement.

A special expanded meeting series will be held at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, October 22, 7:00 pm

Lecture One: The American Revolution and its place in world history

University of Michigan

Rackham Building, Rackham Amphitheatre

915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Speaker: Tom Mackaman

Tuesday, November 5, 7:00 PM

Lecture Two: The “Irrepressible Conflict”: Slavery, the Civil War and America’s Second Revolution

University of Michigan

Rackham Building, Rackham Amphitheatre

915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Speaker: Eric London

Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 PM

Lecture Three: The Democratic Party and the cultivation of right-wing identity politics

University of Michigan

Rackham Building, Rackham Amphitheatre

915 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Speaker: Joseph Kishore

Full meeting schedule

Tuesday, October 15, 7:15 pm

First Unitarian Church of Chicago Chicago, Illinois

5650 S. Woodlawn Ave

Speaker: Joseph Kishore

Facebook event

Tuesday, October 22, 7:00 pm

University of South Florida

SOC 152

Tampa, Florida

Speaker: Eric London

Facebook event

Wednesday, October 23, 6 :00 pm

University of Florida

McCarty Hall A (MCCA) 1142

Gainesville, Florida

Speaker: Eric London

Facebook event

Wednesday, November 6, 7:00 pm

Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus

CA 302

8333 Litter River Turnpike

Annadale, VA 22003

Speaker: Tom Mackaman



Thursday, November 7 , 6:30 pm

University of Minnesota

Tate Hall Room B65

116 Church Street SE

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Speaker: Eric London

Facebook event

Tuesday, November 12, 7:00 pm

Western Michigan University

Bernhard Center Room 213

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Speaker: Niles Niemuth

Facebook event

Thursday November 14, 6:30 pm

University of California, Berkeley

Moffitt Undergraduate Library

Room 101

Berkeley, California

Speaker: Joseph Kishore

Facebook event

Monday, November 18, 7:00 pm

San Diego State University

Aztec Student Union

Templo Mayor, (2nd Floor)

San Diego, California

Speaker: Joseph Kishore

Facebook event

Tuesday, November 19 , 6:00 pm

University of California, Los Angeles

Young Hall, Room 4216

Los Angeles, California

Tuesday November 19, 7:00 pm

New York University

Global Center, C95 Lecture Hall

238 Thompson St, New York, NY

Speaker: Tom Mackaman

Facebook event

Wednesday, November 20, 7:00 pm

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Boynton Hall, 6-120

77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA

Speaker: Tom Mackaman

Wednesday, December 4, 7:00 pm

Wayne State University

Student Center, Hillberry A

5221 Gullen Mall

Detroit, Michigan

Facebook event

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