National conventions of the Communist Party USA
Encyclopedia
The Communist Party USA
has held twenty nine official conventions including nomination conventions and conventions held while the party was known as the Workers Party of America
, the Workers (Communist) Party of America and the Communist Political Association. There were also a number of congresses held by the earlier, often underground, organizational predecessors of the party, including the Communist Labor Party
, the United Communist Party and two groups known as the Communist Party of America.
that wanted to infiltrate the Socialist Party's convention in Chicago that September, and those who wished to create a Communist Party immediately. The minority withdrew and formed the National Organization Committee for a Communist Party. This group was mainly made up of the suspended language federations and the Socialist Party of Michigan
.
The majority formed a National Left Wing Council and attempted to arrange a take over of the socialist party's convention. However, by late August the majority decided to forgo this plan and joined with the NOC to create a new party at a convention in Chicago. A minority, led by Ben Gitlow and John Reed
split with the majority and attempted to infiltrate the Socialist Party convention alone.
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement....
has held twenty nine official conventions including nomination conventions and conventions held while the party was known as the Workers Party of America
Workers Party of America
The Workers Party of America was the name of the legal party organization used by the Communist Party USA from the last days of 1921 until the middle of 1929. As a legal political party the Workers Party accepted affiliation from independent socialist groups such as the African Blood Brotherhood,...
, the Workers (Communist) Party of America and the Communist Political Association. There were also a number of congresses held by the earlier, often underground, organizational predecessors of the party, including the Communist Labor Party
Communist Labor Party
The Communist Labor Party of America was one of the organizational predecessors of the Communist Party USA. The group was established at the end of August 1919 following a three-way split of the Socialist Party of America...
, the United Communist Party and two groups known as the Communist Party of America.
Left Wing Conference
A resolution for a national conference of left leaning organizations within the Socialist Party had been adopted by the Boston Local in May 1919, and endorsed by a number of other locals. Admittance as "left wing" was defined as endorsement of the Left Wing program adopted by the Left Wing Section of Greater New York. When the conference met the delegates divided between a group around the periodical The Revolutionary AgeRevolutionary Age
The Revolutionary Age was an American radical newspaper edited by Louis C. Fraina and published from November 1918 until August 1919. Originally the publication of Local Boston, Socialist Party, the paper evolved into the de facto national organ of the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party which...
that wanted to infiltrate the Socialist Party's convention in Chicago that September, and those who wished to create a Communist Party immediately. The minority withdrew and formed the National Organization Committee for a Communist Party. This group was mainly made up of the suspended language federations and the Socialist Party of Michigan
Socialist Party of Michigan
The Socialist Party of Michigan is the state chapter of the Socialist Party USA in the U.S. state of Michigan.-Formation:The Socialist Party of Michigan was the state affiliate of the Socialist Party of America , established in the summer of 1901...
.
The majority formed a National Left Wing Council and attempted to arrange a take over of the socialist party's convention. However, by late August the majority decided to forgo this plan and joined with the NOC to create a new party at a convention in Chicago. A minority, led by Ben Gitlow and John Reed
John Reed
-Arts, letters, and entertainment:* John Reed , New York novelist and author* John Reed , actor and singer with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company* John Reed , Australian critic and art patron...
split with the majority and attempted to infiltrate the Socialist Party convention alone.
- Revolutionary Age Vol II #1 July 5, 1919 Includes manifesto, program, reports, and preliminary minutes of the conference
- Revolutionary Age Vol II #5 July 5, 1919 Includes first half of the official stenographic proceedings of the conference
- Revolutionary Age Vol II #6 August 9, 1919 Extracts from the remainder of the record
Communist Party of America (1919)
| Convention | City | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founding | Chicago | Sept. 1 - 7, 1919 | Manifesto and program. Constitution. Report to the Communist International; The Communist Vol. I #1 Sept 27, 1919 |
| Second | New York | July 13–18, 1920 | First after the departure of the Michigan and Ruthenberg Charles Ruthenberg Charles Emil Ruthenberg was an American Marxist politician and a founder and long-time head of the Communist Party USA .-Biography:Charles Emil Ruthenberg was born July 9, 1882 in Cleveland, Ohio... factions; The Communist Vol. II #8 Aug 1, 1920 |
| Third | New York | Feb. 1921 |
Communist Labor Party/ United Communist Party
| Convention | City | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founding | Chicago | Aug. 31 - Sept. 5, 1919 | Founds Communist Labor Party; Minutes of the Founding Convention of the Communist Labor Party of America; Constitution of the Communist Labor Party of America at Early American Marxism. |
| Joint Unity | Bridgman, Michigan Bridgman, Michigan Bridgman is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,428 at the 2000 census. The Bridgman post office, with ZIP code 49106 opened with the name "Laketon" on November 11, 1862. The name changed to Bridgman on April 9, 1874... |
May 26–31, 1920 | The CLP and the Ruthenberg group of the CPA merge into the United Communist Party Program and constitution of the United Communist Party of America. |
| Second | Kingston, New York Kingston, New York Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga... |
Dec 24, 1920 - Jan. 2, 1921 |
Communist Party of America (1921)
| Convention | City | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joint Unity | Woodstock, New York Woodstock, New York Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county... |
May 15–28, 1921 | CPA and UCP merge |
| Second | Bridgman, Michigan | Aug. 17–22, 1922 | Raided by the Justice Department http://www.archive.org/details/RedsInAmericaThePresentStatusOfTheRevolutionaryMovementInTheU.S_685Reds in America; the present status of the revolutionary movement in the U. S. based on documents seized by the authorities in the raid upon the convention of the Communist party at Bridgman, Mich., Aug. 22, 1922, together with descriptions of numerous connections and associations of the Communists among the Radicals, Progressives, and Pinks] |
| Third | New York | April 7, 1923 | Dissolves underground CPA into aboveground Workers Party of America |
Workers Party of America
| Convention | City | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founding | New York | Dec. 23–26, 1921 | Merges the Workers Council Workers' Council of the United States The Workers' Council of the United States, commonly known as the "Workers' Council," was a short-lived organized faction of former Socialist Party of America members who had wanted the party to affiliate with the Comintern. Failing that, they agitated for the creation of an open communist party... , the CPAs aboveground American Labor Alliance and other groups to form the Workers Party of America Workers Party of America The Workers Party of America was the name of the legal party organization used by the Communist Party USA from the last days of 1921 until the middle of 1929. As a legal political party the Workers Party accepted affiliation from independent socialist groups such as the African Blood Brotherhood,... Program and constitution, Workers Party of America, adopted at national convention, New York City, December 24, 25, 26, 1921 |
| Second | New York | Dec. 24–26, 1922 | Constitution of the Workers Party of America, as amended by the Second National Convention, New York December 24-25 and 26, 1922 |
| Third | Chicago | Dec. 30, 1923–Jan. 2, 1924 | The second year of the Workers Party of America report of the Central Executive Committee to the Third National Convention held in Chicago, Ill., Dec. 30, 31, 1923 and Jan. 1, 2, 1924 : theses, program, resolutions. Program and constitution |
| Nominating | Chicago | July 10, 1924 | Nominates William Z. Foster William Z. Foster William Foster was a radical American labor organizer and Marxist politician, whose career included a lengthy stint as General Secretary of the Communist Party USA... for President and Benjamin Gitlow for Vice President |
Workers (Communist) Party of America
| Convention | City | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fourth | Chicago | Aug. 21–30, 1925 | Changes name to Workers (Communist) Party, Ruthenberg minority given control of party by Comintern representative The fourth national convention of the Workers (Communist) Party of America : Report of the Central Executive Committee to the 4th national convention ...; From the Third Through the Fourth Convention of the Workers (Communist) Party of America |
| Fifth | New York | Aug. 31–Sept. 6, 1927 | Confirms Jay Lovestone Jay Lovestone Jay Lovestone was at various times a member of the Socialist Party of America, a leader of the Communist Party USA, leader of a small oppositionist party, an anti-Communist and Central Intelligence Agency helper, and foreign policy advisor to the leadership of the AFL-CIO and various unions... as Executive Secretary and Lovestone group as majority on party organs |
| Nominating | New York | May 25–27, 1928 | Nominates William Z. Foster for President and Benjamin Gitlow for Vice President Acceptance speeches; http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIGITOOL-3&owner=resourcediscovery&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&forebear_coll=&user=GUEST&pds_handle=&pid=363415&con_lng=ENG&search_terms=platform%20class%20struggle&adjacency=N&rd_session=http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/BK8JFVKCNI7SRGYFLMLEAUQ4Y5IGJVK7LKLSK1SYUT7E9JMBY8-01996The platform of the class struggle; national platform of the Workers (communist) party, 1928.] |
Communist Party, USA
| Convention | City | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sixth | New York | March 4–10, 1929 | Adopts current name; Lovestone faction wins majority, but replaced by Gitlow as Executive Secretary by the Comintern |
| Seventh | New York | June 21–25, 1930 | Elects Earl Browder Earl Browder Earl Russell Browder was an American communist and General Secretary of the Communist Party USA from 1934 to 1945. He was expelled from the party in 1946.- Early years :... General Secretary |
| Nominating | Chicago | May 28–29, 1932 | Nominates William Z. Foster for President and James Ford James Ford James Ford may refer to:*James A. Ford, American archaeologist*James Ford , benefactor of the Ford Lectures at Oxford University*James Ford , cricketer*James Ford , American newsreader and journalist for WPIX... for Vice President |
| Eighth | Cleveland | April 2–8, 1934 | http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIGITOOL-3&owner=resourcediscovery&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&forebear_coll=&user=GUEST&pds_handle=&pid=671924&con_lng=ENG&search_terms=WCR%20=(%20browder)&adjacency=N&rd_session=http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/BK8JFVKCNI7SRGYFLMLEAUQ4Y5IGJVK7LKLSK1SYUT7E9JMBY8-02532Report of the Central Committee to the Eighth Convention of the Communist Party of the USA, Held in Cleveland, Ohio, April 2–8, 1934.] |
| Ninth | New York | June 24–28, 1936 | http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIGITOOL-3&owner=resourcediscovery&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&forebear_coll=&user=GUEST&pds_handle=&pid=368038&con_lng=ENG&search_terms=browder&adjacency=N&rd_session=http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/F9GQR8CFL95IAFMEPVYN5S3R4D5X57LRETLVPE5UIQJPT4IEQI-01457Report of the Central Committee to the ninth National Convention of the Communist Party of the U.S.A.]; Democracy or Fascism report of the Central Committee to the ninth National Convention of the Communist Party of U.S.A., and speech in reply to discussion; http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIGITOOL-3&owner=resourcediscovery&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&forebear_coll=&user=GUEST&pds_handle=&pid=2761941&con_lng=ENG&search_terms=convention%20AND%20communist&adjacency=N&rd_session=http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/BK8JFVKCNI7SRGYFLMLEAUQ4Y5IGJVK7LKLSK1SYUT7E9JMBY8-01333Resolutions: ninth convention of the Communist Party of the U.S.A.] |
| Tenth | New York | May 27–31, 1938 | http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIGITOOL-3&owner=resourcediscovery&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&forebear_coll=&user=GUEST&pds_handle=&pid=671323&con_lng=ENG&search_terms=WCR%20=(%20browder)&adjacency=N&rd_session=http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/BK8JFVKCNI7SRGYFLMLEAUQ4Y5IGJVK7LKLSK1SYUT7E9JMBY8-00180Report to the Tenth National Convention of the Communist Party on Behalf of the Central Committee.]; http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?application=DIGITOOL-3&owner=resourcediscovery&custom_att_2=simple_viewer&forebear_coll=&user=GUEST&pds_handle=&pid=352285&con_lng=ENG&search_terms=convention%20AND%20communist&adjacency=N&rd_session=http://digitool.fcla.edu:80/R/BK8JFVKCNI7SRGYFLMLEAUQ4Y5IGJVK7LKLSK1SYUT7E9JMBY8-00613Resolutions of the 10th convention of the Communist Party, U.S.A.] |
| Eleventh | New York | May 30-June 2, 1940 | |
| Special | New York | Nov. 16, 1940 | |
| Twelfth | New York | May 20–22, 1944 | Changes name to Communist Political Association; The road ahead to victory and lasting peace, |
| Thirteenth | New York | July 26–28, 1945 | Readopts current name; removes Browder as General Secretary, replaced by Eugene Dennis Eugene Dennis Francis Xavier Waldron , best known by the pseudonym Eugene Dennis was an American communist politician and union organizer, best remembered as the long-time leader of the Communist Party USA and as named party in Dennis v... |
| Fourteenth | New York | Aug 2-6, 1948 | Endorses Henry Agard Wallace Henry A. Wallace Henry Agard Wallace was the 33rd Vice President of the United States , the Secretary of Agriculture , and the Secretary of Commerce . In the 1948 presidential election, Wallace was the nominee of the Progressive Party.-Early life:Henry A... for President; Eugene Dennis indicts the Wall Street conspirators. |
| Fifteenth | New York | Dec 28-30, 1950 | What it means to be a Communist; On Guard against Browderism, Titoism, Trotskyism. |
| Sixteenth | New York | Feb 9-12, 1957 | |
| Seventeenth | New York | Dec 10-13, 1959 | |
| Eighteenth | New York | June 22–26, 1966 | |
| Nineteenth | New York | April 30-May 4, 1969 | |
| Twentieth | New York | Feb 18-21, 1972 | Toward Chicano liberation; the Communist Party position. |
| Twenty-first | Chicago | June 26–29, 1975 | |
| Twenty-second | Detroit | Aug 23-26, 1979 | Resolution on the path to native American liberation : adopted at the 22nd Convention, CPUSA, August 23-26, 1979. |
| Twenty-third | Cleveland | Nov 10-13, 1983 | |
| Twenty-fourth | Chicago | Aug 13-16, 1987 | |
| Twenty-fifth | Cleveland | December 5–8, 1991 | First convention after the fall of the Berlin Wall Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin... and the abortive August Coup |
| Twenty-sixth | Cleveland | March 1–3, 1996 | First convention after the dissolution of the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991... |
| Twenty-seventh | Milwaukee | July 6–8, 2001 | First convention after the death of Gus Hall Gus Hall Gus Hall, born Arvo Kustaa Hallberg , was a leader and Chairman of the Communist Party USA and its four-time U.S. presidential candidate. As a labor leader, Hall was closely associated with the so-called "Little Steel" Strike of 1937, an effort to unionize the nation's smaller, regional steel... ; Archived website |
| Twenty-eighth | Chicago | July 1–3, 2005 | Archived web page |
| Twenty-ninth | New York | May 21–23, 2010 | Convention web page |
Footnotes
- William Z. Foster History of the Communist Party of the United States New York: International Publishers, 1952 Appendix A. Gives starting date of all conventions up to 1951.
External links
- Early American Marxism has extensive information about the earlier conventions.