As you all know [inaudible] with your support that we are able to bring wonderful authors like tony to the literary community. So we really appreciate, you know, your support. So several events and author of Overground Railroad will be joining us on the 13th, the roots of black travel america. Theyll feature author and journalist charles jecko. Be sure toe check online. A bunch of events coming up in february. Journalists, activist from st. Louis, missouri, a member to have communist party usa and serves for the party in kansas, missouri and senate seat. [inaudible] served as a member on political and labor organizations including [inaudible] unique and neglected aspects of the communist party usa. Places within the political and historical contest. Topical aspects of the partys ongoing work especially in post 1956 period. Hope is that each individual story helps build and adds to completer and more complex usa history. So tonight, tony will be discussing, answering your questions and after discussion, afterwards theyll be signing of the books that are available for purchase at the present desk, both terry and i will be out there on anything that you might need. Join me in welcoming tony pacinovsky. Well, thank you to left bankbooks for hosting this talk. As it was noted let them trumble and it was written to commemorate 100th anniversary which was 1919. My talk this evening on this the first monday of africanamerican History Month is focused on Henry Winston whose live is outlined in chapter 4 of the book. Winston, perhaps one of the boast known black communists in u. S. History and Political Prisoners, civil rights activists and Political Prisoners of the 20th century. Our story starts in all1949. The mississippi borne revolutionary Henry Winston along with top leadership of the communist party usa had recently been indicted and arrested under the provisions of the smith act. It was claimed that the cpusa sought to overthrow the u. S. Government by force and violence. They lead costly trial followed. Civil liberties farce, the governments evidence consisted of excerpts from books written decades ago, half a world away. The red scare was in full swing and fueled in part by by unsubstantiated claims. Winston defended his party. He said, im a negro, i have seen lynching and i have experience segregation, brutality of every possible kind, insults and abuses and i have always searched for a program for my people that would liberate them and i shall never forget the fact that it was the communist party, the First Organization in this country which offered a program for my people as well as my class. Unlike the paid fbi informants winston could not be bought. He fired back at his accusers denouncing the inquisitorses and political charlatans. Wall street and park avenue control the system and converted it into a conviction machine, he said. To winston anticommunism was an assault on the bill of rights and assault on free speech and association. His warning fell on death ears, though. By fall of 1949 winston and comrades had been sentenceed to 5year prison terms. Caused progressive organizations like the communist led, council on African Affairs and International Workers order to soon dissolve and place emerged more willing to political discourse and despite growing political repression winston was defiance. We can route the enemy. It would have required every member of the communist party to register with the u. S. Attorney generals office. Not only were leading communists being rounded up on false charges of conspiring to overthrow the u. S. Government. Now all communists if this bill became law would have to register based on the falsehood. According to Arnold Johnson ferguson would nullify the bill of rights, cripple the trade unions and advance the establishment of a fullfledged fascist dictatorship. The message was clear. Civil liberties for communists would not be recognized. Further complicated matters for winston and his comrades. It attempted to force socalled communist front organizations to also register with federal authorities. Any organization with communists in leadership was then considered a communist front. As winston and the party warned its in the air and in the context threat of fascism that the party decided in spring 1951 to send some of its core leadership including Henry Winston under grounded. It would be 5 years before anyone except winstons most trusted comrades would see or hear from him. Winston reemerged in 1956 and calmly walked up steps and Police Rushed in from all directions and handcuffed him and shoved him into a police car. Over 500 friends, family members an fellow communists protested as revolutionary surrendered. 4 years later 1960 winston was now gravely ill and anguished in pain due to years of neglect and abuse. According to worker, communist newspaper, capable of most barbarian cruelties as tumor grew in his head and only public outcry that he was transferred to hospital. Guards waited patiently outside of his hospital room. They were ready to wrap him in chains and leg irons and to his comrades, the horror was bizarre, surreal even. Why was winston treated so cruelly. He never committed a crime against anyone or never hurt anyone. His entire adult life was spent in devotions to people of our land, to the workers of our nation and the defense of our country against hitler. Winston served with distinction in world war ii. Maybe this was his rewarded now that our wartime ally the soviet union had become enemy. Winston a political prisoner and whose situation is emerged the american racism against the negro people and its viciousness against communist and embodied an alliance and informal collaboration span in decades, collaboration many in washington were determined to destroy. Like his friends and fellow black communist paul, Benjamin Davis junior, claudia jones, winston brought the struggle for African American equality black liberation and socialism together domestically and internationally. For this, he had to be punished winston was both black and red apparently legitimized tortures. Though blind morale was high as comrades intensified efforts to gain his freedom. In spring 1960 Benjamin Davis, jr. Put winston treatment in political context. He said special attention must be given for the fight of freedom of Henry Winston to davis racist cruelty wasnt just directed at winston, part of a larger assault against an entire people like deangelis davis case. Shortly thereafter william l. Patterton toured the union and Great Britain to build International Support for his friend. In september the chicago based Community Led africanamerican Heritage Association issued a world appeal for his freedom and said in part, expublic officials who steal from public trust are treater with greater humanity than winston. In late october it was brought to Human Rights Commission where it was said he was being persecuted in the dark of his blindness and in cruel isolation from his loved ones. The forces of reaction political inquisitors and winston negro leader and communist convicted not of a crime but teaching and advocating his political philosophy was still in jail because he would not denounce his party nor debase himself from a trim coat. By November Winston filed a 1 milliondollar lawsuit against the u. S. Government claiming his blindness was caused by delay, negligent and willful conduct. Williams z foster said he was filled with revolution and barbaric and added that comrade was in jail for no crime at all. Winston walked into prison a strong and healthy pan but because hes a negro and a communist the government authorities deliberately brought on his blindness by refuse to go treat him. This was an obvious effort to crush him, the communist newspaper concluded. Reverend dr. Martin luther king, jr. Supported winstons freedom which was tested for alliance. In correspondence with his friend Benjamin Davis, jr. , wrote its immortal and tragic to allow any human being to face inhuman situation. Characteristically keying back his words with action. The pastor spoke and 7 years later and activist and communist, six weeks before assassination conversed with winston and told him it was an honor to finally meet him. That night king directly challenged anticommunism noting that deboise and led us to many quagmires to be retained as it was a mode of scientific thinking, he added. Winston was undoubted smiling from ear to ear as the political implications of kings comments were enormous. Kick wasnt the only person of note supporting winston. Eleanor roosevelt and randolph supported and among others also supported his freedom. Perhaps inflicting a black eye on u. S. Backed international anticommunism was the goal. When fidel castro, consolidate new revolutionary government in cuba offered to swap winston for terrorists, captured during cia backed and botched pigs invasion. Shortly after winstons 50th birthday worry noted johnson said everything about winston calls for treatment. President kennedy granted winston clemency. Less than a month later winston held press, fight for america and world of peace and solidarity, free of poverty, disease and race discrimination. I returned from prison with the unshaken conviction that the people of our great land negro and white need a communist party fighting for the unity of the people, peace, democracy, security and socialism. I take my place again with deep pride. My sight is gone by my vision remains. Increasingly winston and comrades were seen as defenders of the bill of rights and in march 1961, 350 professors from 79 universities and colleges railed against the house and americans committee, continues to abridge Citizens Rights of free speech and association. The treatment of winston was a case in point. In August Charles allen, jr. , National Education director of the united electrical workers, union left susceptible to anticommunism told a rally of 12,000 people in new york city history has seemingly anointed the communists with the oils of struggle. They are always on the front line in the ever lasting struggle for the rights of man. That september the oil, chemical and Atomic Workers Union representing 200,000 people in the strategic industry called for the abolition of hugh act stating that the infamous committee consistently attacks only liberals and nonconformist naturally dangerous conspirator conspirators. The Southern Christian Leadership Council got into the mix too. They held massive new york city rally demanding abolition of hugh act. Despite decades of depression, communists like Henry Winston still managed to wheel considerable domestic and International Support, still advocated for an internationalist world view marxism and still managed to draw tens of thousands into their orbit. Gus hall, the partys general secretary who was regularly speaking in front of thousands of students in campuses across the country wasnt wrong when he told reporters just days before winstons attempt to jail ideas cannot succeed, thought with not be outlawed. Was this the real danger posed by communist like winston, was treatment exactly upon him and manifestation born of fear, black luminaries, comfortably situated within the red orbit . Fear of Student Movement challenging mccarthyera thought control by inviting communists to their campuses, fear of world in the throws of revolution, revolution is often led by communists. After spending 10 years in jail or in hiding, prisoner in his own country, winston in september of 1961 just as construction of the berlin wall was beginning left for the soviet union where he would remain until february 1964. Like many black americans Henry Winston looked east for allies towards the soviet union and china. He found greater opportunity, mobility and freedom within the world of 20th century communism complicates our historical discourse on American Civil Rights and economic justice. Years after the collapse of the soviet union in Eastern Europe historian gerald asked who lost the cold war, his answer, African Americans. The civil rights leaders like Henry Winston as well as the organizations that communists led created a political vacuum filled by personalities and organizations more willing to which clearly hasnt worked out. Assault on black lives has not only continued unabated but accelerated. Perhaps africanamerican History Month we would do well to remember black communists like Henry Winston who merged the struggle for africanamerican equality, black liberation and socialism domestically and internationally. I will end with a quote, in 1968 Henry Winston said the struggle for democracy is incomplete so long as discrimination exists against communists. This is an observation just as relevant today as we mark the 100th birthday of communist party usa, thank you. [applause] i guess im happy to take any questions or comments. This book was labor of love. I spent quite a time researching and writing and doing interviews and going through archives and i thought it was important and necessary to try to push the historical narrative forward post 1956 and the bulk of the book focuses on the work, the tiffed, the analysis of communist post 1956 because thats when the narrative ends as if the communist party cease to exist after that date. So, please, any questions or comments, ask me about future projects that im working on, id be happy to talk about those as well. You talked about Henry Winston, what other communists i think you had 6. So the biography is included in the book, Arnold Johnson, charlie mitchell. Yeah. First africanamerican woman to run for president. Gust hall. Yeah. Each one of those communists has a unique story to tell and like i said their narrative i tried to push forward in post 1956 period. Future projects . I know im dominating but okay. Other questions . He asked you whats next . Futures projects . First on my plate is a collection of essays that im working on. Its a collection of essays written by other historians all dealing with and celebrating the 100th anniversary of the communist party and im also editing a series of pamphlets and articles from 1945 to 1975 of communist analysis of the struggle for africanamerican equality and black liberation and how their analysis shifted and changed over those over those decades. So those are two projects that im working on currently as well. As a communist myself for over 35 years and today in the struggle, i get a sense that the young people, you know, in struggle, in the movement, lack understanding of workingclass history. Really in the period that youre talking about both 1956 and i think that its very, very important. So im very happy to welcome your book as history would like to see more because i really feel that young people need workingclass history. I mean, the real history. So im very happy. My question would be how since there is this need for young people to be educated about workingclass history, how do you see as a president of the Workers Educational SocietyGoing Forward . You know, what kind of big ideas do you have that would promote that . I dont know that i have any big ideas. [laughter] i have kind of the try and true ideas. You know, i think that its unfortunate that we dont have a lot of labor history and in particularly radical labor history in high schools, reaching young people and i think its also very important that the trade Unions Institute more internal education amongst their membership, you know,i dont know the exact figures, pretty good percentage of Union Members have voted for antiunion politicians recently including our president. Not my president , but [laughter] somebodys president. So i think those are very important but i think we also need popular education and Community Education. One of the things that i touch on very briefly in let them tremble but not a whole lot the Communists Party network of institutions like the Jefferson School for social sciences which at its peak i think has somewhere in the ballpark 8 to 10,000 enrollees every semester and so if we had that type of network, again, i think wed see a much different movement and there would be more young people that would understand this history. You know, i think back in research on the Jefferson School for social sciences and historians like herbert in the 1930s and 40s were teaching about africanamerican slave revolts and no one else was talking about it except for the communists and so i think thats very important and we have to find a way to merge education in the formal sense, in the schools, education in the trade unions and then Community Education as well around radical labor history. You identified black and red. Sometimes in left politics theres a push to subject one of those identities above the other. Im curious for your thoughts on on how that emerged and how that continues to be an issue in left politics . Well, again, it emerged because we live in capitalist society. I think its because of that vilification, precisely because of that that often times political activists have to make a choice in how theyre identified. Am i identified primarily as africanamerican activist or communist africanamerican activist or whatever the case may be. We are fortunate to have in our presence this evening kenny jones who in 1983 was elected to the st. Louis city board and because of his leadership, partly because of his leadership in board of ardeman we helped fight against apartheid in south africa. Doesnt have to be either or but often times because society we live in dominated by capitalism, dominated by capitalist ideas that activists have to make a choice strategically in out they identify. President kennedy granted clemency to winston which was surprising to me because kennedy was overt anticommunist and i would think politically that would have been difficult for him to do. Do we know a little bit more about how the decision happened and what kennedys thinking was on that and why he was willing stick out his neck for someone who had been branded a communist . Well, i think there were a couple of factors. Of course, theres the factor of the Worldwide Campaign of millions and millions of people across the world protesting outside of u. S. Embassies calls for winstons freedom. That was another part of it and another part was winstons health. It was thought that it was cruel, really cruel punishment that because of his health to keep him in jail. So i think those factors and the public outcry against the mccarthyism and the impacts of the smith and mckaren act. I note that the political winds had shifted and i think that thats absolutely true and that kennedy saw and noted the shift in the political winds as well and, you know, didnt think that there would be as much political fallback for granting clemency. I think all of those factors coalesced to make it possible for when Henry Winston to be granted clemency. Are there questions or comments . Just a question. Where did you get the title let them tremble . I like that. It comes from a passage in the communist manifesto towards the end of the communist manifesto, let the ruin classes tremble as a communist revolution, they have nothing to lose but their chains, they have a world to win working men of all countries unit and so i really wanted to lay off to play off of that because theres sense of fear, worldwide change towards socialism. If we look at the historical record, if you look at the 60s and 70s, you know, socialism, onethird of the world was governed by socialist parties, communist parties and another third of the world was in the throws of revolution against colonialism and imperialism and so it was very thought that capitalism was on the decline. Thats where i get that from. I think the ruler class did tremble at the time. Thanks. Youre probably im just so excited that the history is being exposed so eloquently because as a person in struggle i have found that if youre just dealing with the history that you were taught in high school youre woefully historically. For example, we were taught the boston tea party, taxation without representation was the prime mover of the revolutionary were against Great Britain, however n reading history succinctly it was that england was about to abolish slavery and slaveholding states couldnt tolerate that. Mississippi was the richest state in the union at that time of the colonies at the time. When i look at how that history has been shaped or misinformed and the history of the communist party and the movement because any struggle that you choose, you know, historically communists were in the forefront and those were different struggles particularly in the south which was very, very dangerous. I appreciate the start and i hope to see much more. Thank you. Thank you. I, you know, i want to note since we talked about Henry Winston story, it doesnt stop in 1960s but moves forward. Henry winston in 1973 was movement in solidarity with african liberation, helped to lead apartheid south africa and another communist mitchell who helped to find National Alliance which, you know, fought for freedom for Political Prisoners throughout the 70s and 80s. I think this idea that communists seized to be Political Force in the 60s, 70s and 80s is not only false but doesnt square with historical record. Theres so much evidence that documents the role of communist post 1956 thats a disservice to the historical record but since we live in a capitalist society i dont know that we would expect otherwise. Other questions and comments . Tony, congratulations. Impressive looking tone out there. Wow, a lot of pages, 100 pages of notes so you really spent a lot of time researching this. Still, though, about 300, almost 350 pages. Im curious, though, seems like you got a lot of stuff packed in here but what do you what do you wish you had had room to keep in because im what or who didnt make the cut that you regret . One of the things that i really regret not having the spice or the time and may in fact be future project is trying to better demonstrate the lives of these communists as human beings. They are are not machines, they are humans who feel and think and have emotions and one of the things that i really appreciated was when going through the personal correspondance, it was the emotion despite ongoing repressions and witch hunts and friends were in jail and all likelihood they would be in jail too. All the warm, caring, loving moments that are shared between these people that werent written for public consumption. They were written between two people that were trying to express how they felt in complex political times, you know, the correspondence between Cooper Jackson was really emotional for me when hunton passed in 1970. Dorothy was still in africa and she wrote home to ester Cooper Johnson and how sad and they were no longer home for me and i would be back to new york soon. This personal correspondence between communists, so much work needs to be done analyzed as people and human beings. Thank you for that. I agree. Weve read between correspondence between john adams and his wife abigail and allows for a better understanding of who these very Public People are. If you do such a project, i would be interested in knowing about that as well. Thanks. Are there i dont know how we are on time. [laughter] im curious go ahead. The Current Situation with the elections coming up and trump already beginning to redbait Bernie Sanders calling him a communist and labeling him with that now. Hes done it now publicly in interviews and on the campaign trail. How do you think thats going to play with driving his support under ground . Well, you know, a couple of things i can say pretty certainly is that redbaiting is still a useful tactic, undoubtedly, still a useful tactic, however the flip side of that recent polls indicate that young people in particular favor socialism over capitalism and so if we can get the vote out, make sure that people vote and are knocking doors and making phone calls or educating their coworkers, their friends, their family members, hopefully we can put an end to this nightmare of a presidency and and try to move the country back in the right direction but i think we can guaranty that if Bernie Sanders does get the nomination that theyll be continued redbaiting and all of that and so i think we should prepare for it and we should do our upmost to try to make it so that socialism and communism are no longer dirty words, but thats a Monumental Task so [laughter] big job. Journey that has a thousand miles begins with the first step. Absolutely. [laughter] okay. Well, thank you, everybody, for coming out tonight. I hope you enjoyed the book and i look forward getting your feedback and thoughts and im more than happy to give autographs. Thank you. [applause] here is a look at some books being published this week, in the system, former secretary in the Clinton Administration argue that is political and Economic System is rigged and so only the super wealthy. In american rebels, historian explores the friendships between john hancock and john adams and Abigail Smith adams in the hometown of massachusetts. Also being published this week in this is chance, New York Times magazine contributor john chronicles the 1964 alaska earthquake. The largest in north american history. And in the praecipes, toby argues that protecting humanity is biggest challenge of our time. Look for the titles in bookstores this coming week and watch many authors in the near future in book tv on cspan2. The cspan online store has book tv products. The cspanstore. Org to check them out. Check all the cspan products available. And we are interrupting book tv regular weekend schedule as the u. S. Senate comes into session to debate emergency coronavirus legislation. We will return to book tv as soon as the senate finishes its business for the day. A reminder all book tv programming is available to watch online at booktv. Org. The senate is about to gavel in to continue work on Coronavirus Relief package that is in excess of a trillion dollars, negotiations continue on the deal. A short time ago treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin arrived on capitol hill for talks with lawmakers. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Eternal father, answer us speedily. When we dont know which way to turn, guide us with your light. When we cannot see the