African Activist Archive

Contents: Who and What Are We? • Is Our Job Finished? • Can We Change American Policy? • Conclusion on Program • The Board, The Staff, The Executive Director • Memorandum to the American Committee on Africa (ACOA) Executive Board from George Houser. ACOA was established to oppose the main thrust of U.S. policy toward Africa, thus eliminating the possibility of raising funds from government contracts, large foundations, and some corporations doing business in Africa. These entities have never considered ACOA an ally. The only significant special funds ACOA has received were earmarked for the Washington Office and fieldwork in Chicago. ACOA is a "cause" organization rather than a "movement" organization. Houser asks the Board to thoroughly discuss ACOA's approach and analysis of the various liberation movements. Houser says he probably has more detailed information on the Revolutionary Government of Angola in Exile (GRAE) than any other movement, with the possible exception of the African National Congress (ANC), because of long association. Houser argues that ACOA can continue to do some significant things to support the liberation struggle in Africa and can do more to oppose U.S. support for colonialism and white supremacy in southern Africa. Houser believes that MPLA has made greater progress over the last few years that either UNITA or GRAE. Houser says those who have Holden Roberto tagged as an imperialist stooge should remember that, at the time there was the greatest relationship between ACOA and the UPA, Roberto had support from Lumumba and the FLN in Algeria, was travelling on a Guinea passport, and was aided greatly by George Padmore and Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana. The memorandum mentions the Special Finance Committee, Peter Weiss, Soapy Williams, Wayne Fredericks, the Nigerian civil war, the Sudanese war, PAIGC, arms, Lydia Zemba, Catherine Raymond, Dr. Ian Gilchrist, Leopoldville, and the Union of the Populations of Angola (UPA).

African Activist Archive

[I have done a great deal of thinking since our Board Meeting on September 14th trying to get a perspective on the American Committee on Africa and its tasks.]

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