Reds at the Blackboard: Communism, Civil Rights, and the New York City Teachers Union

Reds at the Blackboard recounts the rise of a unique type of unionism in the early twentieth century that would later dominate the organizational efforts behind civil rights, academic freedom, and the empowerment of blacks and Latinos across the United States. Through its affiliation with the American Communist Party, the New York City Teachers Union pioneered what would later become social movement unionism, solidifying ties with labor groups, black and Latino parents, and civil rights organizations to acquire greater school and community resources. It also militantly fought to improve working conditions for teachers while championing broader social concerns. Clarence Taylor follows the union's early growth and the somewhat illegal attempts by the Board of Education to eradicate the group. He describes how the infamous Red Squad and other undercover agents worked to bring down the union, and how the union and its opponents wrestled with charges of anti-Semitism.