W.E.B. Du Bois Clubs of America: History and Influence
The W.E.B. Du Bois Clubs of America emerged in the early 1960s as a strategic effort to engage young Americans in Marxist ideology. Sponsored by the Communist Party USA (CPUSA), the organization was not a formal youth wing of the party, but rather a separate mass organization designed to attract unaffiliated students and young workers. By operating as a broader, less orthodox entity, the CPUSA aimed to bring non-communists into its orbit as a first step toward eventual party recruitment.
Key Facts
- Sponsorship: Conceived and controlled by the Communist Party USA (CPUSA).
- Purpose: To attract non-communist youth and students to Marxist-oriented activism.
- Founding: Formally established at a convention in San Francisco in June 1964.
- Key Publications: The Convener, which was later renamed The Insurgent.
- Legal Conflict: Targeted by the U.S. government to be registered as a "communist front."
- Successor: Dissolved in 1970 and replaced by the Young Workers Liberation League (or Young Communist Liberation League).
The Forerunners of the Movement
The path to the national organization began with the Progressive Youth Organizing Committee (PYOC), established in April 1959, and Advance, a youth organization based in New York City. In 1961, a small group of radicals in San Francisco formed the first "W.E.B. Du Bois Club," which inspired similar chapters in Berkeley and at San Francisco State College. By 1962, the movement expanded to Los Angeles with a chapter at UCLA.
To prepare for a national rollout, the PYOC held a training school in New York City in June 1963, offering separate courses for new and experienced activists. By October 1963, CPUSA National Secretary Gus Hall officially announced the intent to create a Marxist-oriented youth organization. To build momentum, the party launched a newsletter called The Convener, edited by Carl Bloice.
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Formal Establishment and the 1964 Convention
Before the national launch, a Conference of Socialist Youth took place in San Francisco on March 21–22, 1964. Sponsored by the Youth Action Union and four California-based Du Bois Clubs, the conference featured workshops on civil rights, peace, disarmament, automation, and the "Ultra Right." The attendees formally urged that the proposed National Youth Organization (NYO) take the form of the National Du Bois Clubs.
The founding convention was held from June 19–21, 1964, in San Francisco. Approximately 200 delegates attended, including prominent activists such as Bettina Aptheker, Carl Bloice, Mickey Lima, and Al Richmond. The convention was organized into various work groups focusing on critical issues of the era, including Vietnam, Black issues, farm workers, and unemployment.
However, the convention was marred by internal conflict. A proposal to exclude members of other socialist organizations—specifically targeting the neo-Stalinist Progressive Labor Party and the Trotskyist Young Socialist Alliance—led to accusations that the broad invitation to the convention was a "hoax." This resulted in walkouts by about one-third of the delegates. The remaining 139 delegates elected Phil Davis, a former Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee field secretary, as President.
Growth and Government Opposition
In 1966, the organization moved its headquarters to Chicago. The 1966 convention featured notable speakers such as radical attorney William Kunstler, communist historian Herbert Aptheker, and Donna Allen of Women Strike for Peace. That same year, the clubs hosted a national conference in Washington, D.C., under the slogan "for jobs, peace, and freedom," which culminated in a protest against poverty and the Vietnam War at the White House.
The organization's high-profile activism against military conscription and its involvement in the free speech movement drew the attention of the federal government. In March 1966, U.S. Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach petitioned the Subversive Activities Control Board to force the Du Bois Clubs to register as a "communist front." The organization fought this in court through 1967 and 1968, but the legal challenges were unsuccessful.
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Dissolution and Legacy
By the late 1960s, the Du Bois Clubs faced obsolescence due to the rise of the "New Left," specifically organizations like the Students for a Democratic Society. Membership dropped to fewer than 100 people. Additionally, documents from COINTELPRO (the FBI's Counter Intelligence Program) suggest that the government was instrumental in the group's disbanding.
In March 1969, the CPUSA attempted to restructure the clubs into a formal Young Communist adjunct. However, by February 1970, the party decided to dissolve the organization entirely. It was replaced by the Young Workers Liberation League (also known as the Young Communist Liberation League), with Jarvis Tyner, the final national chairman of the Du Bois Clubs, serving as the first national chairman of the new entity.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Parent Organization | Communist Party USA (CPUSA) |
| Active Period | 1961 (local) / 1964 (national) – 1970 |
| Primary Goals | Marxist recruitment, peace, civil rights, and labor advocacy |
| Key Leaders | Phil Davis (President), Jarvis Tyner (Final Chairman) |
| Major Publications | The Convener / The Insurgent |
| Successor Group | Young Workers Liberation League |
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the W.E.B. Du Bois Clubs of America the official youth wing of the CPUSA?
No. While sponsored and controlled by the CPUSA, it was designed as a separate mass organization to attract non-communists and unaffiliated youth who might be deterred by a formal party label.
Why did some delegates walk out of the 1964 founding convention?
The walkouts were caused by a proposal to ban members of other socialist organizations, such as the Progressive Labor Party and the Young Socialist Alliance, from joining the Du Bois Clubs.
What was the "communist front" legal battle?
The U.S. Attorney General petitioned the Subversive Activities Control Board to force the organization to register as a "communist front." The Du Bois Clubs challenged this in the U.S. Court of Appeals but lost the case.
What led to the eventual decline of the organization?
The organization was marginalized by the rise of New Left groups like the Students for a Democratic Society, a plummet in membership, and interference from the FBI's COINTELPRO.
What happened to the organization after 1970?
The CPUSA dissolved the Du Bois Clubs and replaced them with a new organization known as the Young Workers Liberation League or the Young Communist Liberation League.