The historical development of world capitalism was influenced in a most fundamental way by the particularistic forces of racism and nationalism.
Cedric J. Robinson, Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition (New York, 1983).
Forty years ago, Cedric J. Robinson published his landmark book, Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition. A sweeping work of global history, intended as theory, this classic work gave us a new framework for thinking about capitalism as a racialised system, born out of a feudal society that had race as its core. Moreover, Robinson showed that Black labour was central to capitalism as a world economy, and that, equally, Black resistance was pivotal in the history of anti-capitalist revolutionary struggle over four centuries. Race-blind Marxist theory was, therefore, deficient.
On 6 December, the International Centre on Racism will host an online round-table to reflect on Black Marxism’s significance today. We are honoured to be joined by Robinson’s one-time student, Professor Robin D.G. Kelley (UCLA), author of the classic introduction to the 2000 UNC edition; Robinson’s biographer, Professor Joshua Myers (Howard University), and Professor Alana Lentin, critical theorist of racism and antiracism (Western Sydney University).
The event will take place at 13.00 EST/18.00 GMT. To register, please write to: [email protected]