Join Central Brooklyn DSA for a very exciting, three-part Socialist Night School series on the topic "Revolution and Reconstruction," which covers the historical sweep of antislavery politics, the Civil War, and Reconstruction.

The series as a whole takes up the questions of how antislavery became a mass movement, how the Civil War turned into a social revolution, and how the project for a multiracial democracy during Reconstruction was betrayed and defeated. As socialists in the United States, it is essential for us to learn from this monumental era of our history, and learn important lessons about racism and anti-racism, labor, and the question of political parties and revolution.

Each class with feature readings, a speaker, and group discussion with fellow comrades. You won't need to attend each session to be able to engage with the next one, but of course we encourage you to attend all of them if you are able! And it doesn't matter whether you are a veteran socialist, a new DSA member, or just someone thinking about joining - our Socialist Night Schools are designed so that everyone will have the opportunity to learn alongside your comrades!

Readings, discussion questions, and Zoom link will be posted usually one week before each session

Session 3: Reconstruction

Thursday, September 3, 7-9 pm

CLICK HERE FOR ZOOM LINK

Readings


Reading/Discussion Questions

  • What were the different historical “phases” of Reconstruction, and how did they differ?

  • Did the Civil War and Reconstruction represent a “revolution?” Why or why not? In what ways did Reconstruction offer the possibility of multiracial, democratic labor solidarity?

  • How was Reconstruction defeated? How did its enemies attack it, and how did its supposed allies end up betraying or abandoning it?

  • How can we assess the legacy of Reconstruction politics? In what ways do the politics of “race and class” that we can still see today emerge from this period of revolution and counter-revolution?

  • In what ways did Du Bois’ Black Reconstruction represent an important shift, both for the author himself as well as the broader scholarship on this era?


Further Reading