Several nights ago the walls at 2640, Baltimore's new venue for radical politics and grassroots culture initiated by the Red Emma's collective, was adorned with the history of Students for a Democratic Society(SDS), the largest student organization the United States has ever seen and an important element to the 1960's social movements. About 20 pieces were tacked to the walls highlighting key moments and events of SDS and its significance, but perhaps just as significant is how this history is being presented. The poster sized pieces do not convey your typical blown up photograph with the descriptive text and captions, but rather graphics and words through comic book style and format.

The history of American Comic Art draws from turn of the century newspaper strips that often depicted the general themes of the day and spoke to the general readership, which for many papers was semi-literate middle to lower working class or immigrant people. These comics often featured the protagonist as the underdog, the mouse out-witting the cat or the wealthy and privileged being satired. These strips also featured the filth of the times often being prejudice and racist. The advent of the comic book around WWII was double edged allowing a cheap and accessible form of media, but also the fact that it was a gratuitous propaganda tool for the War and post war era. But by the mid-1950s some comics began to appear that became outlets for political dissent, and creative resistance.

It is no wonder that a political dissenter and resistance creator Paul Buhle is using the comic book to teach American History. Buhle was a very active participant in the various social movements of the 1960's and New Left, one of the founders of the magazine "Radical America", and a historian at Brown University. The comic book has been his tool to celebrate the history and achievements of those who have had their voices suppressed, neglected and ignored by mainstream historians, and to pass on the significance of those dissident traditions to inspire and incite younger generations. Other Comic works include "Wobblies!: A Graphic History of the Industrial Workers of the World", "Dangerous Woman: The Graphic Biography of Emma Goldman", "Che: A Graphic Biography", and to be released next week a graphic rendition of Howard Zinn's People's History "A People's History of American Empire".

The decent sized gathering of 60 or so people at 2640 did not only focus on Buhle's presentation of popular history and comic books, but also featured a multigenerational discussion on organizing, activism, and community work. Other speaker guests included activists in the new SDS, the new incarnation of SDS that formed in response to the invasion of Iraq 5 years ago, Kids on the Hill a youth led community based organization offering young people support through experimental education and projects, and a student organizer of the Algebra Project a student led organization that uses mathematics as an organizing tool to ensure quality public school education.

This younger generation of activists touched on recent activities such as addressing the alienation, racism and classism that many urban youth face today, making broader connections of the failure of Baltimore's public education system to other issues and the anti war activities of the new SDS. The discussion allowed for wisdom and insight from older activists and their experience as well as new inspiration and creativity from this younger generation.

More Information:

2640:

www.redemmas.org/2640

Kids on the Hill:

www.kidsonthehill.org

SDS:

www.studentsforademocraticsociety.org/

Algebra Project:

www.youngpeoplefor.org/blog/posts/1681