Vol. 74/No. 5      February 8, 2010

A one-month drive through February 17 is focusing on winning long-term Militant subscribers, and opens a broader winter/spring campaign to sell the new book and further expand the Militant’s circulation.

“A young Black couple who purchased an introductory subscription and pre-paid for the new book in December decided to renew for a year,” writes Steve Warshell from Houston. “In addition, an introductory subscription was purchased for the clients in the hair salon where one of them works. She has been taking the paper up to the salon and people really like it.” Warshell added that of the six Militant subscription renewals sold by supporters there, “each one was with the new book.”

Those renewing or subscribing for the first time can purchase Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power for $10, a 50 percent discount.

“We’re taking a systematic approach with teams assigned to contact and meet with previous subscribers in different areas in and around the city,” reports Tom Baumann, who is helping to organize the renewal effort in New York. “We’re seeing more longer-term subscriptions than previous campaigns. We currently have 17 renewals, more than a third of which are for six months or more. Most have also purchased the new Pathfinder book. Others said they planned to get it when they have the money, or when it is available in Spanish.”

In Miami, “Shaheda, a South African woman, renewed her subscription for three months and bought an introductory subscription for a friend,” reports Emily Paul. “She really appreciated the coverage in the Militant. She said, ‘It’s a firsthand account of events by people concerned with fellow human beings.’”

A team of Militant supporters visited Dodge City, Kansas, January 16-17. “The United Food and Commercial Workers had just called off a vote on union representation at the National Beef plant there,” reports Maggie Trowe from Des Moines, Iowa. “We sold 31 subscriptions, going door-to-door in workers districts there, including to workers from National Beef and from a unionized Cargill plant.”

Militant supporters participating in the 10,000-strong immigrant rights protest in Phoenix were well received. They signed up three renewals and sold another 11 subscriptions and 60 copies of the paper. In addition, six copies of Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power were sold, reports Eric Simpson from San Francisco.

Subscription renewal drive: Week 1 (chart)