The Future in the Present

Writings of John Garvey

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On Education for Revolution

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Learning or, more precisely, development should primarily be a social activity involving those who know more or who are more developed with those who are not so knowledgeable or developed.   Those who know more or who are more developed  need to create an environment for shared learning or development by

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Noel Ignatiev—1940-2019: A Life Defined by Political Engagement

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Noel Ignatiev, the author of the following essay on Frederick Douglass, died on November 9th of this year.  Although he had been ill, he wasn’t expecting death in the immediate future.  In fact, he was looking forward to the publication of the essay in The Brooklyn Rail.  The brief period

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Beyond the Spectacle: New Abolitionists Speak Out

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Noel Ignatiev & John Garvey Our initial reaction to the Rachel Dolezal story was: what’s the big deal? America has always been a land of shape shifters, and if she isn’t stopped for ”driving while black” or followed while shopping, and if her sons are not targeted by cops, then

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Marxism for Our Times: A Review

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“…those with ideas will not lead the mass.” Marxism for Our Times is a collection of mostly unpublished and previously unavailable speeches, letters and position papers produced by C.L.R. James in the context of his work with the political tendency that he was associated with in the United States from

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The Abolitionist Alternative in the Twenty-First Century

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If the task of the nineteenth century was to overthrow slavery, and the task of the twentieth century was to end legal segregation, the key to solving this country’s problems in the twenty-first century is to abolish the white race as a social category–in other words, eradicate white supremacy entirely.

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A History of Liberation Organizations in South Africa

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This article was initially published in Volume 4, #1 of Azania Worker in February of 1987. A full set of the issues of Azania Worker is available at https://www.sahistory.org.za/search?s=Azania%20worker#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=Azania%20worker&gsc.page=1. Introduction As most activists in the anti­apartheid movement realize, the largest and most powerful of the organized groups in the South

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About

I have been a political activist for more than fifty years.  Soon after college, I began driving a taxi in New York City and became an active member of the Taxi Rank and File Coalition.  That experience profoundly shaped my views and I remain friends with many of my taxi comrades.

In 1978, I stopped driving and entered into education work–which I then did for more than thirty years–almost all of it at the City University of New York.  That also profoundly shaped my views.

At the same time, I continued my political activities–most importantly as an editor of Race Traitor, an editor of Insurgent Notes and part of the editorial group of Hard Crackers.

The writings collected here reflect all those experiences.  My intention is to regularly post new things that I’ve written.

However you found your way here, I hope that you find something of value.  I would really like hearing from you about your thoughts and reactions. Write me here.

Links

Taxi Rank and File Coalition
Hard Crackers
Insurgent Notes
Race Traitor
Gotham Center

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