Ponentes
Descripción
This presentation examines the Black Power ecumenism and anti-poverty advocacy of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organizations (IFCO). Under the leadership of Reverend Lucius Walker, IFCO was founded in 1967 and became the vanguard ecumenical apparatus for Black community support and anti-colonial/imperialist liberation during the significant historical period of the Black Liberation Struggle. With Reverend Walker at the helm, IFCO became the first Black-led ecumenical fund in the United States, and this occurred during a period of US history when political radicalism emerged to challenge global hegemony and anti-Black racism. This period also witnessed anti-colonial/imperialist political winds of change which stimulated backing for African liberation movements with organizations such as IFCO coordinating a significant role to support African freedom fighters against imperialist powers. Thus, this presentation also explicates the critical role of IFCO as a significant sponsor for African Liberation Day (ALD) activities of 1972 and 1973. The anti-imperialist African liberation struggles of the 1970s received significant support from Black activists from the US, and with major support from IFCO, ALD’s grassroots organizing, and educational programming flourished as a testament to the effectiveness of collective action. Accordingly, this presentation will illuminate the role of IFCO as a prominent organizational force of anti-imperialism while simultaneously advocating for community-based self-determination during the Black Freedom Movement.
