African Activist Archive

Memorandum from Robert van Lierop to the American Committee on Africa (ACOA) Executive Board concerning ACOA's political role and its field work in Chicago. The memo followed van Lierop's trip to Chicago in February 1072, where he gave lectures at universities and before community groups and made two appearances on a local TV talk show. He was impressed by efforts of a small cadre of people who actively promoted support for the liberation movements in southern and colonized Africa. This cadre group has dealt with the difficult question of the identity of ACOA as a white liberal organization with ties to what many consider "establishment" organizations. Van Lierop argues that ACOA cannot and should not make a drastic shift to become a radical "movement" organization; rather, it probably should continue pressuring churches, corporations, and organs of government. It is not capable of mobilizing masses under banners or slogans of international class solidarity. He urges ACOA to recognize its limitations and to be willing to support field work and other projects without having itself necessarily identified as the sponsor of such activities. Examples of such projects are the New World Resource Center in Chicago, the Mozambique Film Project, and the Africa Research Group (ARG). He recognizes that ACOA may never see a return (such as increased membership or increased contributions) from supporting such efforts, even though efforts such as these raise the political consciousness of many individuals within the U.S. Van Lierop found that the cadre group in Chicago was able to get large numbers of people out by stressing the political nature of the struggle rather than the negative aspects of oppression. Eileen Hanson, the current ACOA representative in Chicago, is able to push forward on many fronts because she is not recognized as working solely in the interests of the ACOA. Even so, she will not be as active in doing the sorts of things Prexy Nesbitt was able to do. Van Lierop sees great returns for the issues that we are concerned with, although the returns may be somewhat smaller for this specific organization.

African Activist Archive

Re: Evaluation of Chicago field work

To: Members of the Executive Board of ACOA

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