BY MEGAN ARNEY

NEW YORK - "The Pathfinder mural proudly stood as a beacon of hope for all who had the good fortune to see its light," said Cliff Joseph, the artist who painted civil rights leader Martin Luther King and anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko on the mural. Joseph was speaking to some 150 people gathered June 23 at the yard in front of the six-story painting on the south wall of the Pathfinder building, located in Manhattan's Greenwich village by the Hudson river.

Union members, students, artists, people from the neighborhood, and others came to celebrate the mural's nearly 10-year history and the recent advances in production and sales of revolutionary books distributed by Pathfinder Press. The festive event included displays of the history of the mural, tours of the Pathfinder building - which houses the publisher's offices and printing plant - literature displays and a book sale, music, poetry, food, and a panel of speakers.

`Honorable removal of mural'
"I will always cherish the enriching experience of being a participant with brother and sister artists from around the world," Joseph said. Some 80 artists from 20 countries painted the mural, which features portraits of working-class leaders and revolutionaries whose works Pathfinder publishes. Joseph recalled the time when the mural was attacked by the editors of the New York Post and right-wing columnist Patrick Buchanan in 1989 and later vandalized with paint bombs, shortly after it was inaugurated. "There are those who opposed its message," Joseph said. They would have wanted a "violent destruction" of the mural. "Today, Pathfinder is organizing its honorable removal with the carefulness and love in which it was created."

Maggie Trowe, director of Pathfinder's printshop, also spoke. "We are celebrating many things today," she said. "The mural, the increased sales of Pathfinder books to fighting workers and youth around the world, and advances in organizing production of a steady stream of new books and reprints so that the young militants of today won't find a single revolutionary title out of stock when they reach for it."

Over the course of seven-and-a half years since the project was completed, Trowe said, the wind, rain, and sun have taken a heavy toll on the mural's physical condition and appearance. Under the bright afternoon sun, those present could see the colors faded and the paint chipped or curling on many spots. At the event, guests also had a chance to buy a color poster that shows the mural in its initial condition.

"The mural once portrayed in vibrant color portraits a festival of the oppressed and exploited rising up," Trowe said. "But with the passage of time, it no longer conveys the same message it once did, and it can no longer be repaired. For that reason it will be taken down later this summer, and the wall will be covered in a way that will keep open the possibility of painting another mural in the future."

This decision coincides with Pathfinder's plans to repair the stress cracks in the wall on which the mural is painted, another reason requiring the mural's removal. The wall must be fixed, Trowe said, because, "we are confident we will need this building and the book production it houses well into the twenty- first century." By the time the celebration began, some $20,000 had been raised toward a $100,000 capital fund for the building repairs. This figure rose to $28,000 by the end of the event.

Participants also contributed to another fund to finance a billboard-size reproduction of the mural that will be mounted on the six-story wall where it is currently painted. Volunteers at the Pathfinder Mural bookstore, an outlet adjacent to the mural, announced later that $3,000 has been raised toward the $12,000 billboard fund.

Several artists who could not be present sent greetings. Carole Byard of New York, who painted Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman and Malcolm X on the mural, was one of them (see text of her letter below). Chris Spotted Eagle, a Native American filmmaker from Minneapolis, Minnesota, also sent a message. Sam Manuel, director of the mural project also addressed the gathering, explaining the origin, history, and purpose of the mural. "Fidel [Castro's] smiling face is only a stone's throw from Wall Street," he noted. " `Isn't that getting in the face of the ruling rich?', some would ask us. Our answer is no! Nothing we did was for them. The mural was made for working- class fighters," he said.

Many tour facilities
Before the program began, and after its conclusion, many of those present visited the facilities inside the Pathfinder building. Over 75 people participated in a dozen tours guided by volunteers who work in the print shop and the editorial departments. Guests were able to see the machines on which the books are designed, printed, and finished, as well as the editorial offices of Pathfinder and the Militant newspaper. Two of the tours were given in Spanish for guests from the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico and Costa Rica.

Many young people came to the celebration, including three from Boston. One was Elaine Lowe, a 17-year-old activist preparing to help rebuild some of the Black churches that have recently been damaged or destroyed by racist arsons in the South.

When asked why she came to the celebration, Lowe explained, "I became involved with the Young Socialists in protesting [ultrarightist Patrick] Buchanan when he came to Lexington, Massachusetts, this winter. I really like the mural, the tour of the Pathfinder Building, and seeing books being made." Asked about the mural, she replied, "It's beautiful. It's the definition of artistic freedom, a way to express yourself through revolution. Even though the mural is coming down, people should still come and visit the place."

A highlight of the event was learning more about the history and future of Pathfinder. In her talk Trowe pointed to the publisher's ability in the last few months to produce more than a book a week. She added that the Pathfinder printshop has increased its production of books this year to 20 so far, compared with 29 during the entire year in 1995.

"This month we are producing seven books," she said, "including Labor's Giant Step, Revolution and Counter- Revolution in Spain, Socialism on Trial, Fidel Castro's Political Strategy, and The Marxist Theory of Alienation." The shop is also reprinting issue no. 2 of Nueva Internacional, the Spanish-language sister publication of the Marxist magazine New International.

Volunteers in the shop are in the process of producing a CD- ROM with all the issues of New International and its predecessors since its founding in 1934, which will be available for sale by the end of the year. "This will make accessible to thousands around the world the invaluable contributions to Marxist theory and politics contained in the magazine," Trowe said. Those who toured the facilities had a chance to see a first-hand demonstration of how the new CD-ROM works.

Other speakers included Rafique Benali, a member of the Young Socialists from France, who met a Pathfinder sales team in Paris during the massive strike wave last fall, and Ray LaForest, an organizer for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in New York. LaForest said he first appreciated the importance of Pathfinder's publishing program when he began preparing a forum on the occupation of the Guantánamo Naval Base in Cuba by U.S. forces. When he asked for research material at other bookstores, he said, he was directed to Pathfinder.

Dave Prince, business manager of Pathfinder Press, told the crowd about the efforts of the publisher to increase sales of revolutionary books around the world. From picket lines to international book fairs, supporters of Pathfinder are finding more and more interest in communist politics, he said. Prince pointed to the importance of the main distributors of its books - the 36 Pathfinder outlets around the world. The newest storejust opened in Athens, Greece. Prince told guests that because Pathfinder has sold over 3,500 copies of The Communist Manifesto and 600 copies of Socialism: Utopian and Scientific in the last year, they have had to go back to press on these and many more titles. "Pathfinder is making sure these books remain in circulation."

Artists perform
After the talks, musician, Robert McKenzie was introduced with several artists who donated their time and talent for entertainment. They included vocalist Carol Towner; Eric Levine, folk singer, Professor Louie, a poet; drummer Fast Eddie; and musicians Dan Furhman and Richie Ariza.

McKenzie, a 25-year-old auto worker at the General Motors plant in Tarrytown, New York, sang a tribute to the liberation struggle in Angola and the role of Cuban volunteers in defeating the invading apartheid army of South Africa. "I want to be part of the event, part of the struggle," he said. "The mural is standing up for poor people."

The celebration drew nine people from Philadelphia, four from Boston, and a few from as far as Toronto and Paris. Several passers-by were attracted by the festivities and joined in for a period of time.

For some in the crowd it was the first time seeing the mural first-hand. Jennifer Reeves came to the celebration after hearing about it from a friend. She said the mural is "amazing. I wanted to come to find out more about Pathfinder." Reeves and others pointed to the international and inclusive character of the mural depicted by the 150 portraits of revolutionary fighters.

Truth must be told
Among the crowd were long-time residents of the neighborhood. One woman, who has lived nearby for nearly 30 years, said she remembers when the mural was being painted. Today, she sends many who visit her in the West Village to see the mural. "The more people, the better it is. I think people have to know what is going on. That's what Pathfinder stands for," she said.

Many young activists also came, including Lorena Gaibor, a national coordinator for the U.S.-Cuba Youth Exchange. Several pointed with pride to Pathfinder's motto, a quote by Cuban president Fidel Castro at the center of the mural: "The truth must not only be the truth, it must also be told."

Hiroko, a young immigrants rights activist from New York who is originally from Japan, was struck by the quote. "There are so many truths, but not many are told," she said. Hiroko brought her sister to the celebration, who was visiting from Japan, and translated for her during most of the event. "Sometimes the contents of these books are used by people," she stated. "That's what I like about Pathfinder, they just produce what revolutionary leaders said. If you just print their own words it means you trust that people have the ability to understand them."  
 
 
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