revolutionary action movement (ram) - Michael Schwartz Library

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and 1964, the organization consisted of students and intellectuals . According
to Brother A ., a former RAM member, the class composition of the
RAM membership in New York during the
1963-64 period consisted mainly of
intellectuals, writers, poets, and artists, some of whom came out of the
Umbra
(black literary collective), others were recruited from the Brooklyn
Chapter of CORE . In Philadelphia, the class compostion changed also .
Stan Daniels, Paythell Benjamin and Wanda Marshall, who were students,
constituted the local RAM leadership . But by fall of 1963, Jomo L . M . X .
(ex-Korean war veteran), Mable Holloway and William Woodley, grass roots
community activities, had emerged in the Philadelphia RAM leadership .
As
the RAM leadership began to change in class composition, the membership
of the organization began to grow . In an interview with Sister Y .,
recruited from the Communist Party in Chicago, she describes the method of
organizational growth in her area .
Field organizers traveled in and out of the city to organize
local chapters, teach ideology and help train cadre . Local
chapters were responsible for developing local membership
had to raise its own funds . Some funds went to national
RAM would organize demonstrations around local
issues but never used the
name RAM . In Chicago, RAM worked through a coalitation demanding quality
education for black students . RAM would have educational and ideological
study groups under its name . RAM was a secret cell type of organization .
Sister Y . was asked the question, what type of organization was RAM She
responded :
If you were part of the study group or part of the cell, that's
all you would know . 3
2Taped interview with Sister Y ., Chicago, Illinois, October 30, 1978 .
3 Ibid .