While Western Marxism and the post-structural wave have become canonical in Western humanities programs, the Black radical tradition cuts across them both, centering on the experience of Africa and the African diaspora in shaping the (Atlantic) world.
Cedric J. Robinson’s classic Black Marxism deserves to be read in full, slowly and carefully. For this session, I’m recommending chapter six “The Historical Archaeology of the Black Radical Tradition,” and chapter seven “The Nature of the Black Radical Tradition.” Supplement by reading Robin DG Kelley’s essay on “What did Cedric Robinson Mean by Racial Capitalism?“