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American Artists' Congress
The American Artists' Congress (AAC) was an organization founded in February 1936 as part of the popular front of the Communist Party USA as a vehicle for uniting graphic artists in projects helping to combat the spread of fascism. During World War II the organization was merged into the Artists' Council for Victory, which effectively spelled the end of the organization. Organizational history Origins The Great Depression and the rise of fascism in the 1930s caused politics and arts to collide as cultural liberals united to work on common goals. Communist parties adopted a policy of forming broad alliances with anybody willing to oppose fascism and became known as the Popular Front. After the official formation of the United Front in 1935, artists in the U.S. began seeing themselves as the “guardians of liberal and democratic ideals” Andrew Hemingway, ''Artists on the Left: American Artists and the Communist Movement.'' New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2002. Social ar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Reed Clubs
The John Reed Clubs (1929–1935), often referred to as John Reed Club (JRC), were an American federation of local organizations targeted towards Marxist writers, artists, and intellectuals, named after the American journalist and activist John Reed. Established in the fall of 1929, the John Reed Clubs were a mass organization of the Communist Party USA which sought to expand its influence among radical and liberal intellectuals. The organization was terminated in 1935. History 1929 In October 1929, the John Reed Club was founded by eight staff members of the ''New Masses'' magazine to support leftist and Marxist artists and writers. They included: Mike Gold, Walt Carmon, William Gropper, Keene Wallis, Hugo Gellert, Morris Pass, and Joseph Pass. According to Alan M. Wald, The John Reed Clubs were not founded by the Communist Party. ''New Masses'' managing editor Walt Carmon became frustrated with a group of young writers who were hanging out in the office and getting in hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Popular Front
A popular front is "any coalition of working-class and middle-class parties", including liberal and social democratic ones, "united for the defense of democratic forms" against "a presumed Fascist assault". More generally, it is "a coalition especially of leftist political parties against a common opponent". The term was first used in the mid-1930s in Europe by communists concerned over the ascent of the ideology of Fascism in Italy and Germany which they sought to combat by coalescing with non-communist political groupings they had previously attacked as enemies. Temporarily successful popular front governments were formed in France, Spain, and Chile in 1936. Not all political organizations who use the term "popular front" are leftist or coalitions formed to defend democratic norms (for example Popular Front of India), and not all leftist or anti-fascist coalitions use the term "popular front" in their name. Terminology and similar groups When communist parties came to powe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
