CLR James

The end of slavery started in what was then San Domingo. In 1791, the enslaved people of the most prized French sugar plantation colony revolted against their masters. For over twelve years, against a backdrop of the French Revolution, they fought an epic black liberation struggle for control of the island. Theirs was the first and only successful slave revolution. It was the creation of Haiti as a nation, the first independent black republic outside of Africa, and an international inspiration to the persecuted and enslaved. This is the impassioned and beautifully drawn story of the Haitian Revolution and its incredible leader: Toussaint Louverture. The text of this graphic novel is a play by C. L. R. James that opened in London in 1936 with Paul Robeson in the title role. For the first time, black actors appeared on the British stage in a work by a black playwright. The script had been lost for almost seventy years when a draft copy was discovered among James's archives. Now this extraordinary drama has been reimagined by artists Nic Watts and Sakina Karimjee.

Originally published in 1950, this analysis by three respected activists successfully predicted the future course of Marxism. Their revolutionary critique of industrial civilization possessed a striking originality that was insular in its political context and optimistic in its expectations for the working class. They envisioned that the working class activity would defy trends away from class and social issues and toward the so-called "End of Ideology." Brought forth in a new edition, this viewpoint and others reveals much, even years later, that challenges Marxist and other orthodoxies. "State Capitalism and World Revolution" is the most succinct version of C. L. R. James and his collaborators general conclusions about industrial culture and is a pioneering critique of Lenin and Trotsky, and a reclamation of Marx. This edition includes the original preface from Martin Glaberman and a new introduction from Paul Buhle.

Back in print for the first time in 30 years, this volume provides a brilliant and accessible summation of the ideas of left Marxist giant C. L. R. James. Originally delivered in 1960 as a series of lectures in his native Trinidad, James's wide-ranging erudition and enduring relevance are powerfully displayed. From his analysis of revolutionary history and the role of literature, art, and culture in society to an interrogation of the ideas and philosophy of such thinkers as Rousseau, Lenin, and Trotsky, this is a magnificent tour de force from a critically engaged thinker at the height of his powers. Still relevant to politics today and an essential introduction to an important body of work, the ideas of C. L. R. James remain as necessary and illuminating for this century as they have for the last.

Originally published in England in 1938 and expanded in 1969, this work remains the classic account of global Black resistance. This concise, accessible history of revolts by African peoples worldwide explores the wide range of methods used by Africans to resist oppression and the negative effects of imperialism and colonization as viewed in the 20th century. Written from a radical perspective with a substantial new introduction that contextualizes the work in the ferment of the times, "A History of Pan-African Revolt" is essential to understanding liberation movements in Africa and the diaspora and continues to reveal new insights, lessons, and visions to successive generations.