Black socialists were targets of FBI disruption program
1986 1986-10Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 15 →
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The recent court victory won by the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) against the FBI awakened many memories in me about political activities that I took part in during That was a period of mass radicalization in the United States. Millions of Black Americans were involved in and affected by the civil-rights, Black Power, Blacknationalist, and antiwar movements-and by nationalThe SWP's involvement in those movements was exemplary during that period. Its successful activity flowed from its correct application of the analytical and programatic tools of Marxism to U.S. conditions. I was one of a number of Black people who were attracted to A major portion of the government's cloak-and dagger operation was aimed directly against the spreading of socialist ideas to Afro-Americans. This was revealed in the 300-page trial decision by Federal District Judge Thomas Griesa. The decision states that "one objective of the PBI was to foment racial strife within the SWP."
I was a member of the SWP for 18 years (for 14 years under my former name of Paul Boutelle), until 1983. Because I was one of the party's most active Black members for a number of years, I was among those selected for special harassment. My case is described in The FBI unsuccessfully attempted to utilize constructive criticism regarding racial attitudes that I had made at an SWP national convention, plus a legal charge against me (of which I was subsequently found not The informants also reported to the FBI that I expressed statements that the SWP used me because of my color. My anger was not against the SWP or the revolutionary movement, but against the tactics employed by people—who we now know were FBI agents—who were trying to get me out of the SWP and The FBI sent me two anonymous racist letters, allegedly written by SWP members. This tactic was devised, the brief revealed, "in order to increase the friction" that it mistakenly believed was developing By KWAME M. A. SOMBURU the 1960s and '70s.
liberation struggles in Africa and elsewhere.
the socialist movement at that time. detail in Judge Griesa's decision.
guilty), to accomplish its nefarious tasks. the revolutionary movement. some months. Caesareans. between me and the SWP. The informers the first letter made me "visibly angry" second gave me a hostile appearance and miss some meetings.
As one of the FBI's targets, victims of the system. reported that and that the caused m e to SWP lived up to for most of its existence.