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revolutionary action movement (ram) - Michael Schwartz Library

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CHAPTER FIVE<br />

THE RAM ORGANIZATION<br />

The purpose of this chapter is to present an<br />

analysis of the RAM<br />

organization and a synopsis of events in the <strong>movement</strong> related to the RAM<br />

organization .<br />

Aspects in the development of the Black Panther Party,<br />

Republic of New Africa and League of Revolutionary Black Workers will<br />

be<br />

discussed . These organizational forms were an outgrowth of the organizing<br />

efforts of RAM activists and are important in an understanding of RAM's<br />

impact .<br />

During the summer of 1963, RAM concentrated on building secret political<br />

cells in different parts of the country . These cells were to remain<br />

underground and to develop an underground <strong>movement</strong> . They were to be the<br />

support apparatus for field organizers<br />

form the civil<br />

rights <strong>movement</strong>s into a<br />

who were openly trying to trans<strong>revolutionary</strong><br />

black nationalist<br />

<strong>movement</strong> .<br />

These cells were to finance<br />

the activities of the field organ<br />

izers and the liberation army, once<br />

dedeveloped, to hide the organizers<br />

when forced underground, to provide the liberation forces with supplies<br />

and<br />

intelligence information on the activities of the racist governmental<br />

apparatus .<br />

Interviews with ex-RAM members disclosed that the class composition<br />

of RAM varied . 1 For the most part in the early beginnings in early 1963<br />

1 Interviews with twenty-five ex-RAM members, 1978-1979 . Interviews<br />

were conducted in Phladelphia, New York, Washington, D .C ., Cleveland,<br />

Chicago, Atlanta and Boston .<br />

108

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