MODULE 1The Origins of Capitalism & White Supremacy
Reading Packet
Glossary
Orientation Packet
Module 1
Module 2
Module 3
Module 4
Class 1:
How did the world come to be dominated by a system as relentless as capitalism? This module dives into its bloody origins, tracing the violent roots of capitalism through colonization, slavery, and genocide. From the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, the rise of global powers like Great Britain, France, Spain–and later the U.S.—was inseparable from the brutal exploitation of millions of enslaved African and Indigenous peoples. Capitalism didn’t emerge from “free markets” and “innovators”; it was built on the backs of enslaved people, the theft of land, and the rationalization of white supremacy. Understanding these origins is key to unpacking the racial and economic nightmares that define our present. This module lays bare the material and ideological forces that made capitalism possible, revealing how its birth was intertwined with oppression on a global scale.
Class 2: Name
The struggle for abolition was never confined to borders–it was always a global fight against the interconnected systems of slavery, colonialism, and white supremacy. This module dives into the revolutionary waves of abolitionism that crossed oceans, inspiring uprisings and solidarity across the Americas. From Haiti to the U.S. South, these movements didn’t just seek to end slavery; they redefined freedom on a transnational scale. Abolitionists understood that as long as bondage existed anywhere, true liberation was impossible. By tracing the roots of internationalist solidarity and the shared histories of rebellion, this module reveals how the fight against slavery in Cuba and Haiti directly influenced abolition in the U.S. and vice versa. It invites us to see the revolutionary connections between these struggles and how they shaped the broader fight for freedom that continues to this day.
Class 3: Revolution: Name
The Black liberation struggle has always been a revolutionary force, shaping resistance movements across the globe. This module explores the fight for Black liberation as both a challenge to U.S. imperialism and a beacon for international solidarity. From the building of a Black nation in the U.S. South to the global fight against apartheid, this struggle has been at the forefront of dismantling systems of white supremacy and capitalism. We’ll study the Communist-led demand for Black self-determination in the Black Belt South, the radical visions and achievements of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, and the transformative resistance of imprisoned revolutionaries like George Jackson. Through the lens of Pan-Africanism, we’ll dive into the global connections forged by figures like Walter Rodney and Claudia Jones, and we’ll examine the strategies of cross-border solidarity that helped bring down apartheid in South Africa.
Class 4: Name
The fight for liberation is a long one that continues to build off of past victories and setbacks, responding to the conditions of today. From the Haitian revolution to our current moment, what can the centuries of struggle teach us about the future of revolution today? This module challenges us to think critically about strategy, organization, and the road ahead. How do we build the conditions that will make revolution possible? What will it take to win?