‘Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition’, by Cedric Robinson, has featured in countless antiracist reading lists across schools and universities. The title suggests it will be a synthesisation of Marxism and the Black struggle. In reality, it is an attempt to divert the two entirely.

What is the ‘Black Radical Tradition’, and how does the Marxist method apply to it? In this session, Fiona Lali will explore whether historical materialism can explain the development of racism, if the working class in the West can overcome racism, and whether a ‘black consciousness’ exists.