Vol. 74/No. 7 February 22, 2010
Nine workers at the plant, which is organized by Local 789 of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, have picked up copies of Pathfinder’s latest book over the past several weeks. Mitchell, along with a few others, said they would like to get together and discuss some of the articles in the book.
“I don’t read much but this book looks interesting. I’ll also make sure to show it to people in my family, who I know would like to read it,” said Dave Vasquez, who works on the kill floor and is a shop steward.
“I’ve only read a little bit of the book, but I found the photos speak for themselves,” said Henry Blue, who works opening cow paunches. “I’m looking forward to reading more.”
Most of those buying the book have also renewed their subscriptions, or have become new subscribers, to the Militant.
—Frank Forrestal
Miami
Woosler Delisfort, a young Haitian American who had gotten the Militant at the Miami Book Fair, renewed his subscription and purchased Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power. He explained, “Six years ago I looked to the Democratic Party. Now I see it as the same as the Republicans. They are both for big corporations, for money. That’s not for me. This book looks great. I’m going to study it.”
Last week six renewals to the Militant were sold here. Five of the subscribers also got Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power. One of our distributors sold three renewals to his coworkers with the special offer on the book for only $10. He also got another coworker to subscribe for the first time and take advantage of this offer.
—Rollande Girard
Philadelphia
Three Black workers at a small military gloves manufacturing plant in Delaware bought Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power along with one new Militant subscription and two renewals. The new subscriber said, “This is what I’ve been looking for and I want to find out more!”
Another worker who renewed her subscription has started reading the new book. She said it has made her more interested in programs sponsored by the Militant Labor Forum here. Although she wanted to start bringing the Militant into work and read it on her breaks, she said, “The paper makes me too mad to read at work.” She explained the political content of the Militant puts our own working conditions and treatment by the bosses in a sharper light.
—Brian Nevins and Janet Post
New York
Sales of Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power have picked up here. More than 30 have been sold with an introductory subscription or renewal. A highlight over the last week has been purchases by four students at Hunter College.
“I’ve never seen anything put together like this before,” said Sharita Sharmin. She was referring to the book’s description of how Black workers have been in the vanguard of the major social struggles in the United States for the last two centuries. She bought the book along with The Working Class and the Transformation of Learning, which describes the fraud of education reform under capitalism.
Hiro Bush, who bought the book the week before, told the Militant he wanted to read it after finishing the Pathfinder pamphlet Two Speeches by Malcolm X. “I was hungry for more information on the evolution of Malcolm X,” he said. But before Bush could get started he said his uncle who was visiting from Atlanta took his copy, so now he has to buy another one for himself.
—Tom Baumann