Whose Getting Used? Black America and Soviet Antiracism

From 1928-1937, the Soviet Union allied with Black America in an antiracist campaign against America. To tell the story of the Soviet Union and Black America teaming up against racism, I talked with Professor Meredith Roman, author of Opposing Jim Crow: African Americans and the Soviet Indictment of U.S. Racism, 1928-1937.

While some Soviets sought a world without racism, it benefitted the emerging Socialist power to take the moral high ground on racism as a byproduct of capitalism. Behind the campaigns to save the Scottsboro boys and deport racist White Americans was clear opportunism.

On the other hand, where Soviet antiracism fell short, Black Americans could still challenge America to take up a campaign against racism. And, the Soviet Union lacked state-sponsored racism which was a nice break from America.

This short-lived, unlikely alliance brought benefits to both Soviets and Black Americans...until Nazis showed up.

Music Credit

PeaceLoveSoul by Jeris (c) copyright 2012 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/VJ_Memes/35859 Ft: KungFu (KungFuFrijters)