Black Liberation and Socialism

A socialist scholar sheds light on the interwoven histories of racism and capitalism in the United States—with vital lessons for today’s struggle.

In Black Liberation and Socialism, Ahmed Shawki underscores the need to a struggle against racism that is equally clear-eyed in its opposition to the economic and political system that supports it: capitalism. Shawki begins with a socialist perspective on the history of slavery in the United States. He then presents a sharp analysis of the country’s movements against racism—from the separatism of Marcus Garvey, to the militancy of Malcolm X and the Black Panther Party, to the eloquence of Martin Luther King Jr., and more.

In the decades since the civil rights movement, many gains have been made—but there is still far to go to win genuine change. Black Liberation and Socialism is an essential primer on the history and future of the struggle against racism.