Thurs 2/17: A Radical History of Columbia

A Radical History of Columbia

Thursday, February 17
7:30pm – 9:30pm
Hamilton Hall 603

{Students outside of the occupation of Hamilton Hall in 1985 demanding that Columbia divest from apartheid South Africa}

In 1968, students from Students for a Democratic Society and the Student Afro-American Society occupied Hamilton Hall protesting Columbia’s expansion into Harlem. By building connections with black residents who were impacted by the Columbia expansion project, they were able to strengthen their movement. During this same period, students were able to push the university to stop hosting the ROTC military officer training program as part of the movement against Columbia’s connections to the Vietnam War.

In 1985, after building a campaign on campus for years, students occupied Hamilton demanding that Columbia divest from apartheid South Africa. As a result of the occupation, the university finally agreed to divest. In 1996, Columbia University students spent months demanding a Center for Ethnic Studies and won. These are just some of the many examples of radical students organizing and winning struggles at our university.

Just as in 1968, when student anti-war activism helped get ROTC off of Columbia’s campus, today students are again faced with the task of keeping the same military training program off our campus. As students fought to get the University to divest from apartheid South Africa, now students are beginning to organize for divestment from the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Join the Barnard-Columbia International Socialist Organization in a discussion about the radical history at Columbia University – and how theses struggles from the past can help us build a left on campus today.

columbia.iso@gmail.com (contact us!)
nycsocialist.org (for upcoming events and movements in NYC that we’re building)
socialistworker.org (for news and analysis)

Wed 2/23: Marx in Soho, a play by Howard Zinn

Marx in Soho
a play by Howard Zinn

with the original performer, Brian Jones

Wednesday, February 23
7:00pm – 8:30pm
Glicker-Milstein Black Box Theatre in the Diana Center, Barnard College
Tickets: $10 in advance, $12 night of performance
Buy tickets in advance at: http://www.cuarts.com/calendar/view/type/4/event_id/9464

A fundraiser for the Center for Economic Research and Social Change

Please join us at this exclusive performance of Marx in Soho, a play written by the great radical historian Howard Zinn (1922-2010).

{writer Howard Zinn and performer Brian Jones}

Zinn’s play Marx in Soho is a witty and insightful answer to the question, “If Karl Marx could see the world today, what would he say?”

The premise of this “play on history” is that Karl Marx has agitated with the authorities of the afterlife for a chance to clear his name. Through a bureaucratic error, though, Marx is sent to Soho in New York, rather than his old stomping ground in London, to make his case. Playwright Howard Zinn introduces us to Marx’s wife, Jenny, his children, the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin, and a host of other characters. Marx in Soho is a brilliant introduction to Marx’s life, his analysis of society, and his passion for radical change. Zinn also shows how Marx’s ideas are relevant in today’s world.

Brian Jones is a teacher, actor, and activist in NYC. His commentary and writing have been featured on MSNBC.com, the Huffington Post, GritTV and the International Socialist Review. Jones has also lent his voice to several audiobooks, including Howard Zinn’s one-man play Marx in Soho, Wallace Shawn’s Essays and Noam Chomsky’s Hopes and Prospects. He has been performing this play throughout the country since 1999.

This event is a fundraiser for the Center for Economic Research & Social Change (www.cersc.org), which aims to highlight the injustices facing marginalized people through education.

Hosted by the Barnard-Columbia International Socialist Organization

Saturday 2/12: Columbia Stands with Egypt!

Greetings from the Barnard-Columbia International Socialist Organization:

As I’m sure most of you know, 18 days of mass protest in Egypt have finally brought the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak to an end. This is a huge victory for the people of Egypt, people across North Africa and the Middle East, and a significant blow to US imperialism. Mubarak has been one of the United States and Israel’s staunchest allies, and the US government provides him with over one billion dollars of aid per year, most of it, military.

Socialist Worker has been providing daily and even hourly reports from Cairo – keep checking back all weekend!

We’re happy to be celebrating Mubarak’s downfall tomorrow on campus at 2pm and we hope you’ll join us!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=199916810023037

COLUMBIA STANDS WITH EGYPT
Saturday, February 12 · 2:00pm – 4:00pm
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Location: Columbia University
Low Plaza, 116th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam

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Created By
Turath: The Arab Students’ Organization at Columbia University, Rhonda Shafei

THE DICTATOR IS OUT!!!!We will be rallying for Egypt, to celebrate the victory of Egyptians over Mubarak’s regime, and in support of its people’s unwavering hope. This party is the culmination of our heartfelt happiness and aspirations for a better future in Egypt.

Come speak out and share your thoughts at Columbia’s historic campus. The PARTY will take place AFTER the protest(?) scheduled by Amnesty International at the UN.