"I Never Met a Black Person Who Was in the Communist Party Because of the Soviet Union:" Jack O'Dell on Fighting Racism in the 1940s

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Author:

Center for History and New Media/American Social History Project

Subject:

Humanities

Institution Name:

American Social History Project/Center for History and New Media

Collection:

Many Pasts (CHNM/ASHP)

Grade Level:

Secondary, Post-secondary

Abstract:

Jack O'Dell was a union organizer, a civil rights leader, and a member of the Communist Party. His political consciousness formed in the 1940's, when the African-American community became more assertive in their efforts to improve conditions and expand civil rights. Like many blacks, including one of his role models, Paul Robeson, O'Dell was drawn to the Communist Party because of their staunch stand against racism and segregation. During the 1940's, O'Dell found a welcoming environment in the National Maritime Union. Later, he worked for the director of the Southern Christian Leadership Counsel (SCLC) office in New York, before becoming SCLC's voter registration director in seven southern states.

Languages:

English

Material Type:

Primary Source

Media Format:

Audio, Text/HTML

Conditions of Use:

Custom License
Fair Use for educational purposes

Copyright Holder:

Copyright 1998-2005 American Social History Productions, Inc. All rights reserved.