Paul Prescod presents "Against Black Nationalism: Garvey, Randolph, and the Class Alternative"

Paul Prescod presents *Against Black Nationalism: Garvey, Randolph, and the Class Alternative*, a historical and political examination of two influential approaches to Black liberation. The event compares Marcus Garvey’s United Negro Improvement Association with A. Philip Randolph’s campaign to organize the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, asking why Garvey’s movement declined while Randolph’s labor organizing helped produce lasting gains for Black workers.

Prescod’s book argues that Garvey’s appeal grew amid political exclusion but reflected the interests of a frustrated Black bourgeoisie, while Randolph developed class-based labor organizations that connected racial struggles with broader demands for economic justice and democratic participation. The discussion also considers how the New Deal, labor organizing, and civil rights efforts intersected, and challenges race-first frameworks that may overlook working-class concerns. Prescod is a Labor Notes staff organizer and writer, a contributing editor at *Jacobin*, and a former public school teacher and Teamsters for a Democratic Union organizer. He lives in Philadelphia.

When: Tuesday, November 17th 2026

Showtime: 7:00 pm

Venue: Red Emma’s, 3128 Greenmount Avenue, Baltimore, MD

Tickets: Price not available

RSVP: RSVP through the event page

Presenter: Paul Prescod

Book: *Against Black Nationalism: Garvey, Randolph, and the Class Alternative*

Accessibility and logistics: The page does not provide event-specific accessibility information or a run time.