Identifier

FBI_00115

Title

Communist Influence in Racial Matters Internal Report #4 (July 1965)

Creator

Detroit FBI Field Office

Description

Fourth available report in a series on communist influence in civil rights activity in Detroit. Investigation occurred during April 1965. FBI describes the report as: “At a Michigan District Communist Party (MDCP) meeting on 5/3/65, Thomas Dennis, a CP functionary, said there are not many of "our" people active in mass work and that "we" are not doing anything in the civil rights struggle. Dennis directed the club representatives to go back to their clubs and have some serious political discussion on "Plan of Work". 'At a MDCP meeting on 6/8/65, Dennis said the MDCP has not yet decided on a course of action concerning the forthcoming Common Council election, City of Detroit. Dennis said it is his opinion the CP should observe who is the strongest Negro candidate, and help such candidate as much as possible. At a MDCP meeting on 6/22/65, Dennis berated the club members for not engaging in affairs of mass organizations. It was reported on 7/21/65, that the MDCP has done nothing in furtherance of placing its members and close sympathizers into the civil rights movement on into mass type organizations. At a Detroit Branch SWP (DBSWP) meeting on 4/27/65, it was stated that only one member belongs to CORE. Demonstration at Federal Building, Detroit, on 6/18/65; the “NLG 1965 Guild Program in the South for Desegregation of Public Facilities"; and plans of RAM, set forth."

Source

100-HQ-442529-Serial1264, 30 July 1965 to 6 August 1965, Federal Bureau of Investigation Records, "Communist Influence in Racial Matters", Detroit FBI Files - Black Freedom.

Theme

Criminalization and Resistance, Community and Resistance

Type

Government Records

Level 1 Tag

Race

Racism

Racialization

Social Movements

Surveillance

Government Correspondence

Activism

COINTELPRO

Detroit

Resistance

Level 2 Tag

Civil Rights Movement

Anti-War Movement

Black Power

Racial Unrest

Profiling

Informants

Infiltration

Abuse by Government

Race & Ethnic Identity

COINTELPRO – Communist Influence in Racial Matters

Communism

Socialism

Marxism

Racial Inequality

Level 3 Tag

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Communist Party of the United States of America

Socialist Workers Party

Thomas Dennis

General Gordon Baker

Ernest Goodman

Date

1965-07-30 to 1965-08-06

Location

Detroit, MI

Rights

Public Domain acquired through Freedom of Information Act