Historical Roots of American Fascism: The Reconstruction Era

Resumes January 7, 7:00-8:30 pm ET

Take part in the Political Strategy study group’s sweeping look at the history and political significance of six major waves of struggle and counter-revolution in the United States. Our study this winter begins with W.E.B. Du Bois’ Black Reconstruction and Manisha Sinha’s The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic: Reconstruction, 1860-1920.

The overall plan of study continues six eras of struggle and reaction:

1. Settler-colonial expansion – freedom struggles and response
2. Civil War and Reconstruction
3. The Repression of Radical Labor
4. Post World War I to the Rise of the Modern Political Right 
5. Black Freedom struggles and the Carceral State
6. Neoliberalism, post neoliberalism, and Late Fascism

And then a final section to reflect directly on the whole and the present day.

With each new era, we will use readings and discussion to address three major points of analysis: 

1. Sources, strengths, and strategies of the waves of popular struggle of the era;
2. Changing forms of repression and the antecedents or emergence of an extreme and fascist right; 
3. Strategic reflections on the era from vantage point of the present moment. 

In order to give our major book selections the time they need, and also make room for supplementary readings suggested by the group, we expect this reading group to continue into early 2025. We will read and discuss against the backdrop of emerging political changes after this year’s US elections. 

Here is our draft syllabus for the class and in the meantime, check out this initial list of supplementary readings.

Convened by Steve Backman and Rebecca Minnich