Richard B. Moore, an African Blood Brother on Scottsboro Presentation (public)

7/23/2019 Richard B. Moore, an African Blood Brother on Scottsboro Presentation (public)

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Richard B. Moore, an African Blood

Brother on Scottsboro

Khary PestainaFlorida International University

Teaching For American History

The conclusion seems inescapable that so long as

racist oppression persists, so long will the more

militant Afro-Americans turn to radical parties

seeking a solution to the oppressive conditions to

which they are subjected

Richard B. Moore, Afro-Americans and Radical

Politics


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Thesis

My research examines Richard B. Moores role in the Communist partys defense of theScottsboro Boys. It demonstrates Moores commitment to African Blood Brotherhood(ABB)ideals, critical to his participation and activism during the trial, rather than a Communistidealism more regularly attributed to him and the case.

The Scottsboro trial is usually presented as the Communist Party USAs cause clbreduringthe 30s, but my presentation shows an ABB directive and ambition which expressed an acuteenergy, mobilized to produce the release of the 9 defendants.

The scope of my research begins pre-1920s, exploring Moores developing ideas about socialism,his clandestine participation in the African Blood Brotherhood, and then his vital role in theabsorption of that group into the Communist Party USA. It highlights Moores integral roleduring the Scottsboro trial and political organizing in Harlem around the case.

Scope

Richard B. Moore, reportedly an early Americancommunist who worked closely on the Scottsborotrial, is instead a prominent member of the AfricanBlood Brotherhood, an indigenous and vitalHarlem organization whose critical influence ismistakenly overlooked.


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INTRODUCTION

Richard B. Moores core ideals:

Militancy

Progressive Nationalism

Pan-Africanism

African Blood Brotherhood as an

independent, influential Black Radical

Organization:

Agent vehicle of African Revolution

Critical analyses of Marxian socialism

Moores common legacy:

Moores critics- Harold Cruse, W.E.B

Du Bois, John Pepper, Marcus Garvey

Moores supporters- John Henrik

Clarke, Cyril Briggs, W.A. Domingo,

Claude McKay, Arturo Schomburg


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MOORESAMERICANIZATION

Immigrant Moores July 4th Arrival:

West Indian literacy vs. Black/White

American literacy

West Indian skills vs. Black/White

American literacy

Moores First Experiences with

Racism-

Struggles in finding employment

equitable to education level

Loss of job

Moores Loss of religious belief-

YMCA rebuke

Bias and discrimination within the

Church

OO S C O


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MOORES RADICALIZATIONNADIR: Lynchings

Great Migration

Great Retreat

Jim Crow

Hubert H. Harrisons Critical Influence: The Black Socrates according John G. Jackson

Rogers, J.A. Worlds Great Men of Color Vol.2.

Harrison, Hubert H. The Negro and the Nation.

Harrison, Hubert H. When Africa Awakes.

Perry, Jeffrey B.Hubert Harrison: the Voice of Harlem Radicalism,

1883-1918.Harlem Soapbox tradition:

Moore, Richard B. Africa Conscious Harlem, fromFreedomways,

Summer 1963

Moore, Richard B. Afro-Americans and Radical Politics, from WCBS

TV broadcast, Black Heritage Series, March 19, 1969. Manuscript

Moore, Richard B. The Critics and Opponents of Marcus Garvey in

Marcus Garvey and the Vision of Africa: Edited, and with anIntroduction and commentaries, by John Henrik Clarke With the

assistance of Amy Jacques Garvey. Black Classic Press (Baltimore,

2011)

Moore & ABBs Increasing Militancy:

ABB goes public

ABB recruits an army The Crusader


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COMMUNIST ALLURE

Successful Bolshevik Russian Revolution

Revolutionary success by Russian Bolsheviks

Lenins theses on the Colonial Question

African Blood Brotherhood(ABB) in Russia

1922

Critical Influence on development of official

Comintern policy towards African Americans

Claude McKays key Role in creating allianceSynthesis of ABB goals

Goals and Aims of the ABB

ABB goes public to recruit

ABB vs. UNIA on the streets of Harlem


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MOORE, COMMUNIST

Rationalization for Joining Communist Party

Comintern United Front policy

Militant Potential

Internationalist Agenda of ABB

Communists pass Moores Test

League Against Imperialism

Rejection at Du Bois 4th Pan African Congress

Harlem Tenants League adopted as model forrecruiting African Americans into Communist Party

Yokinen Trial where American communists rejectWhite Chauvinism


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STRUGGLE WITHIN 1928 Self-Determination Thesis- Pros & Cons Harry Haywood, ABB member & WW Iveteran educated in Moscow

Nation within a Nation thesis

Moore as Black Communist Leader American Negro Labor Congress

League of Struggle for Negro Rights

National Negro Congress

Clandestine ABB (Underground)

International Labor Defense

Struggle against White Chauvinism

John Pepper, comunist theorist, attacksMoores communist credentials

Consistent chauvinism & colorism within party

Bukharins Speech, Daily Worker, Sept.51928,

Moore responds to Peppers criticism

Yokinen Trial

Significance of CPUSA commitment to rooting

out Chauvinism


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AFRICAN BLOOD BROTHER ON SCOTTSBOROBackground of Scottsboro Case-

9 Negro youths arrested for fight

2 White women accuse boys of rape

Boys, ages 13 to 20, all given death penalty

Significance of International Labor Defense

(ILD)-

Commitment to defending radicals in USA

Experience on Mooney, Sacco-Vanzetti

cases

William Pattersons significance

Annual Analysis of Moores Role onScottsboro-

Early Years

Mid Thirties

Late thirties/early forties


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MOORE vs. FORD,DIRECTION of thePARTYCommunists consolidate Scottsboro gains-

African Americans recruited into Communist

Party

Communist view Scottsboro as bulwark for

work in American south

NAACP Threat

NAACP attempts to hijack case from ILD

Walter White raises money on behalf of

Boys but refuses to give to communists

Samuel Leibowitzs anti-communist views

Minimization of Moore/Arrival of James Ford-

James Ford installs doctrinaire Communism on

independent minded Harlem base

Moore & Briggs question Fords leadership &

agenda

Moore & Briggs relegated and demoted

Moore Soldiers On-

Leads Scottsboro Mothers & Ruby Bates to

White House to meet with President Roosevelt

4 Cross-country tours in promotion of

Scottsboro Boys case


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ConclusionShift in Communist Policies-

Critical shifts within Cominternpolicy affected Moores influencewithin the party

Browders negative influence

Moore back in the mix-

Organizes movement forCaribbean Independence

Recovers and publicizes FrederickDouglasss Autobiography after40 years of censorship

Establishes Book Store in Harlem

Moore kicked out-

Kicked out of party for being toonationalist

Refuses re-entry to party

Re-establishes an independent,autonomous black radical critique

in the US


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Archives Richard B. Moore Papers, from the Schomburg Collection, New York

Public Library

International Labor Defense Record Group, from the SchomburgCollection, New York Public Library

Crusader News Service, from the Schomburg Collection, New York

Public Library

Marxists Internet Archive, www.marxists.org

In Motion: African American Migration Experience, online exhibit of

the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York

Public Library.

http://www.inmotionaame.org/migrations/topic.cfm?migration=8&topi

c=1 NAACP archive- A Century in the Fight for Freedom, 1909-2009 in

Library of Congress,

http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/naacp/earlyyears/ExhibitObjects/RedSu

mmer.aspx

Richard B. Moore, an African Blood Brother on Scottsboro Presentation (public)

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