February is Black History Month - USACP

History Month and the Communist Party has been hosting local events and activities around the country to celebrate Black History and help appreciate the role of African American people, the struggles and their role in the movements for progress in the country from slavery to civil rights to today. The Communist Party has always understood that Black History is American History. .. Here is a teaser from a recent article on the current economic crisis on the Black community:African Americans and the Jobs CrisisBy Art Perlo, from PoliticalAffairs.net (Read the full article here.) .         The economic crisis has brought suffering to every part of the country and every section of the working class. As in past recessions, this crisis has fallen most heavily on communities already suffering, and particularly on people of color and immigrants. This is true of every aspect of the crisis, including foreclosures and evictions and state and local government layoffs and cuts in services. There are many attempts to divert attention by pitting sections of the working class against one another: white workers against racially and nationally oppressed, African Americans against immigrants and Latinos, young against old, men against women. Whatever the motives, these themes play into the hands of the Wall Street bankers and other corporate interests who are the primary cause of the crisis and obstacles to solutions that must come at their expense. This article, however, will focus primarily on the jobs crisis in the African American community as a critical part of the overall picture. . Even before the crisis, African Americans faced difficult, and in many ways worsening employment opportunities. This crisis has hit all workers hard, including white workers, with employment levels the lowest since the 1930s. But during the best boom years of 1988-90 and 1998-99, the percentage of African Americans employed in each age group just about reached the levels that white workers have fallen to today. Put another way, white workers today are just beginning to face conditions that African Americans faced in the best of times...   .   . Below are just a sampling of enlightening articles for Black History month: Dallas relives its Black History Communist Party and African American equality Two Great Biographies for Black History Month Lorraine Hansberry home gets landmark status Songs of the civil rights movement ring out at the White House . African American Equality: Pre-Convention Discussion with Jarvis Tyner The discussion leading up to the Communist Party's 29th National Convention has been going strong. For Black History Month we are presenting a national live broadcast of a presentation by CPUSA Executive Vice-Chair Jarvis Tyner on African American Equality. The brief presentation will be followed by answers to questions from participants.   African American Equality Convention Discussion Presentation with Jarvis Tyner Thurs, Feb 23, 2010 8pm Eastern time You can watch the video live on the CPUSA website. Make sure to test to see if your computer can play the video by reading the system requirements at Ustream.tv ahead of time. If you have trouble with the video, you can also call in to hear the presentation by telephone. To participate by phone, call (605) 475-4850. Dial 1053538# when prompted. (Long distance fees from your carrier will apply.) You can send questions ahead of time to questions@cpusa.org or submit questions live during the discussion by watching on the the Communist Party's Ustream video channel. The video will also be available for viewing following the event. If you haven't already, make sure to sign up for our other mailing lists: Communist Party Action List — where you will receive regular action alerts about pressing national issues and social justice campaigns in the mass movement. 29th Convention List — where we are publishing periodic updates on the Pre-Convention discussion period, important deadlines and information leading up to the 29th National Convention in New York City, May 21-23, 2010. People's World Headlines — And don't forget to sign up for a twice weekly pick of pressing news and insightful analysis right to your inbox from the People's World news site. .