revolutionary action movement (ram) - Michael Schwartz Library

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cadre that would aid the vanguard, RAM, in leading the world black revolution
.
RAM saw black youth as being the most revolutionary sector of black
America . RAM also analyzed that black people needed to engage in a black
cultural revolution to prepare them for a black political revolution .
Within the black cultural revolution would also be a black anti-draft
movement . The slogans of "America is the Black Man's Battleground,"
"Unite or Perish" and "Black Power" were raised . RAM described the cultural
revolution :
The purpose of a Black Cultural revolution would be to destroy
the conditioned white oppressive mores, attitudes, ways, customs,
philosophies, habits, etc ., which the oppressor has
taught and trained us to have . This means on a mass scale a
new revolutionary culture . 16
RAM called for unity of revolutionary nationalists :
The first step is for revolutionary nationalist and those who
agree on basic principles to unite and form a Black Liberation
Front . This does not mean that any group dissolve into autonomy,
but rather work in common agreement . 17
RAM issued its critical analysis of the Communist Manisfesto and the world
Marxist perspective to
the world socialist revolution in a document entitled,
"World Black Revolution ." RAM decided to issue a nation-wide call
for armed self-defense and to be active in the mass rebellions .
Along with the mass uprisings in
the inner cities, RAM planned student
revolts in black colleges and among high school students . The Black
Guards, RAM youth leagues, were to organize African-American history clubs
to teach black history . These clubs would lead protests demanding the
16 Revolutionary Action Movement, Internal Document . Some Questions
Con cerning the Present Period , 1967, p . 2 .
17 Ibid .