'Bitter with the past but sweet with the dream: communism in the African American imaginary: representations of the Communist Party, 1940-1952

233 Pages·2016·2.356 MB·English

by  Bergin, Cathy;Ellison, Ralph;Himes, Chester B.;Wright, Richard

‘Bitter with the Past but Sweet with the Dream’:
Communism in the African American Imaginary
Historical Materialism
Book Series
Editorial Board
Sébastian Budgen (Paris)
Steve Edwards (London)
Marcel van der Linden (Amsterdam)
Peter Thomas (London)
VOLUME 95
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/hm
‘Bitter with the Past but Sweet
with the Dream’: Communism in
the African American Imaginary
Representations of the Communist Party, 1940–1952
By
Cathy Bergin
LEIDEN | BOSTON
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bergin, Cathy.
 Bitter with the past but sweet with the dream : communism in the African American imaginary
representations of the Communist Party, 1940–1952 / by Cathy Bergin.
  pages cm — (Historical materialism book series ; volume 95)
 Includes bibliographical references and index.
 isbn 978-90-04-26372-7 (hardback : alk. paper) — isbn 978-90-04-29325-0 (e-book) 1. American
fiction—African American authors—History and criticism. 2. American fiction—20th century—History
and criticism. 3. Communism and literature—United States—History—20th century. 4. Wright, Richard,
1908–1960—Criticism and interpretation. 5. Himes, Chester B., 1909–1984—Criticism and interpretation.
6. Ellison, Ralph—Criticism and interpretation. 7. Communism in literature. 8. Politics in literature.
9. African Americans in literature. i. Title.
 PS374.N4B47 2015
 813’509896073—dc23
2015008979
This publication has been typeset in the multilingual “Brill” typeface. With over 5,100 characters covering
Latin, ipa, Greek, and Cyrillic, this typeface is especially suitable for use in the humanities. For more
information, please see www.brill.com/brill-typeface.
issn 1570-1522
isbn 978-90-04-26372-7 (hardback)
isbn 978-90-04-29325-0 (e-book)
Copyright 2015 by Koninklijke Brill nv, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill nv incorporates the imprints Brill, Brill Hes & De Graaf, Brill Nijhoff, Brill Rodopi and
Hotei Publishing.
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This book is printed on acid-free paper.
This book is dedicated to the memory of Johnny Bergin
(1938–2014)
⸪

Contents 
Acknowledgements ix
Introduction 1
part 1
Radical Alliances
Introduction to Part 1 13
1 ‘Towards Soviet America’ 16
1.1 Determinations and Determinism: Lenin, Stalin and the
Comintern 16
1.2 Swearing Allegiances: Garveyism and Communism 26
1.3 Trials on Trial: Yokinen and Scottsboro 34
2 The Liberator (1929–1935) 49
2.1 The Liberator: The Black Bourgeoisie and Revolutionary
Tradition 49
2.2 The Liberator: Interracial Solidarity and Internationalism 65
2.3 The Liberator and Black Cultural Politics 76
3 Native Son: Ghetto Nightmares 89
3.1 ‘Poor Richard Wright’: The Black Protest Novel 89
3.2 A Room of One’s Own?: Bigger, Rage and Consciousness 94
3.3 ‘Russian Folks’: The Communist Party in Native Son 105
part 2
Betrayals and Defeat
Introduction to Part 2 121
4 ‘Communism is the Twentieth Century Americanism’ 123
4.1 Popular Front: Remaking African-American Culture 123
4.2 Peace and War: Shifting Priorities 130
viii contents 
5 Lonely Crusade: Union Dues  139
5.1 ‘History as Nightmare’: The Critical Reception of Lonely Crusade 139
5.2 ‘This Illusion of Manhood’: Lee Gordon, Rage and Impotence  145
5.3 ‘Sure, I ‘Longs to the Party. But I is a Nigger First’:
The Communist Party in Lonely Crusade 155
6 Invisible Man: Un-American Activities  174
6.1 ‘Beautiful Absurdity’: Ellison, Responsibility and Identity  174
6.2 ‘Riding Race Again’: The Communist Party in Invisible Man  187
Conclusion 206
Bibliography 209
Index 220
Acknowledgements
This book, like any intellectual endeavour, and particularly any socialist intel-
lectual endeavour, has not been a solo project. I have enjoyed endless support.
My colleagues in the Humanities Programme at Brighton have been instru-
mental in providing the intellectual and pedagogic atmosphere where inter-
disciplinary work is not merely tolerated or paid lip service to but is positively
and actively promoted. It is a wonderful environment in which to research and
teach. My thanks to my colleagues, Mark Abel, Bob Brecher, Graham Dawson,
Mark Devenney, Paul Hopper, Peter Jackson, Andy Knott, Anthony Leaker,
Paddy Maguire, Victoria Margree, Eugene Michail, Michael Neu, Lucy Noakes,
Jason Porter, Gill Scott and Jon Watson. In particular, both Anita Rupprecht
and Tom Hickey have been helpful, engaged and encouraging well beyond the
call of duty. For their intellectual input, political incisiveness, comradeship
and friendship I am extremely grateful.
Marcus Wood, who supervised my doctoral work on Communism and
African-American writing, did so with great enthusiasm and encouragement.
My year three seminar groups on African-American Writing have provided
lively and incisive spaces for unpicking this rich literary and cultural field. My
doctoral students Nicola Clewer, Jessica Hamlin and Jason Porter’s very differ-
ent research projects have enriched my understanding of my own work.
Over the years Patricia McManus has afforded me time, insights, numerous
conversations and constructive criticism about my work which proved invalu-
able. Moreover all of the above were offered in a spirit of intellectual enthusi-
asm and generosity. Her valued friendship and her unflagging interest in my
work transformed the final stages of writing this book.
Naomi Ashman, Brendan Donohoe, Theodore Koulouris and Sallie Richards
have been excellent friends throughout this process, often providing much
needed avenues of escape. I apologise for occasionally boring them to tears.
I would also like to thank Daisy Asquith, Clare Baker, Jim Casey, Debbie De Wit,
Amira Driscoll, Ann Duffy, June Du Halgouet, Steve Edwards, Danny Hayward,
Brian Hanley, Melissa Halpin, Geetha Jayaramen, David Johnson, Brian Kelly,
Shad Khan, Ian McDonald, Meredith Miller, Ken Mulkearn, Eleanor Norman,
Chantelle Norton, Louise Purbrick, Kevin Reynolds, Lucy Robinson, Ian Sinclair,
Brid Smith, Christine Smith, Mary Smith, and Aaron Winter.
My sisters Fiona, Susan and Barbara Bergin, and my aunt Clare Murphy have
been enthusiastic and supportive of my work, if somewhat surly about my
emigrant status. Along with my two nieces Kit and Ella Connolly they have
provided the appropriately female-centred family from which to write about
‘masculinity.’