Eric Mann’s Radical Journey through the Long 1960s (Part 2)

Jun 30, 2025

Eric Mann, a veteran civil rights organizer and co-director of the Labor/Community Strategy Center, shares his journey through the transformative 1960s. He discusses his key role in the Columbia University student strike and his experiences as a political prisoner, shedding light on the carceral system and activism's emotional toll. Mann highlights the necessity of building a black-led united front against imperialism and reflects on George Jackson's legacy while advocating for empowerment in urban communities. His insights underline the importance of strategic alliances in the fight for social justice.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

1968 Columbia Strike Leadership

Eric Mann played a leadership role in the 1968 Columbia University student strike alongside SDS and the Black Student Union.
They successfully demanded the university shut down its Institute for Defense Analysis, symbolizing a fight against imperialism.

INSIGHT

Harlem Gym as a Symbol

The struggle at Columbia was a Black-led movement with Harlem and Black students central to the success.
The gym in Harlem was called "Jim Crow" and became a symbol of community resistance against racism and university imperialism.

ADVICE

Support Frontline Activists

Support those who actively put their bodies on the line in movements.
Do not allow moderates or latecomers to undermine the struggle or its key demands.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

This is part two of a two-part episode. This part of the conversation deals more with the actions that led to Mann's political imprisoment and his experiences as a political prisoner.

In this two-part episode, we are joined by special cohost PM, and we speak with veteran civil rights organizer Eric Mann about his journey from his upbringing in New York to his involvement in political struggles during the 1960s. Mann discusses his early influences, including his parents' activism. He reflects on his work with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), highlighting key campaigns such as the Trailways boycott and the 1968 Columbia University student strike.

Mann also recounts his time as a political prisoner, offering insights into the carceral system and the impact of incarceration on his life and activism. He emphasizes the importance of building a black-led united front against imperialism and shares his ongoing work with the Labor Community Strategy Center in Los Angeles. Mann's narrative highlights the importance of organizing, strategic alliances, and the ongoing liberation struggle. Eric Mann is the co-director of the Labor/Community Strategy Center in South Central Los Angeles. He is the author of Comrade George: An Investigation into the Life, Political Thought, and Assassination of George Jackson, Playbook for Progressives: The 16 Qualities of the Successful Organizer, and the forthcoming We Made the Revolution with Our Bodies on the Line. PM Irvin is a PhD candidate researching the political thought of W.E.B. Du Bois and 20th-century Black radicalism This episode was edited and produced by Aidan Elias. Music, as always, by Televangel. If you like what we do and want to support our ability to have more conversations like this. Please consider becoming a Patron. You can do so for as little as a 1 Dollar a month. We bring you these conversations totally independently with no corporate, state, or grant funding.