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Prarie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC)

An anti-imperialist group that began as the Prairie Fire Distributing Committee in 1974 to distribute Prairie Fire: The Politics of Revolutionary Anti-Imperialism, written by members of the Weather Underground Organization. After its initial publication, groups sprang up around the country to discuss the book. PFOC was formally organized in 1976 and was active in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Chicago until the mid-1990s. Their work embraced a broad range of issues: international solidarity with national liberation struggles in Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Nicaragua and El Salvador; and with the struggles for self-determination of Puerto Rican, African-American, Mexicano, and Native peoples inside U.S. borders; support of political prisoners; opposition to white and male supremacy and support of women’s and gay liberation.

Subcollections

  • Breakthrough
    Breakthrough
    Breakthrough was the journal of the Prairie Fire Organizing Committee (PFOC), published by the John Brown Book Club from 1977 to 1995.

Documents

Breakthrough Breakthrough
Publisher: Prarie Fire Organizing CommitteeYear: 1977Volume Number: Vol. 1-2 June-JulyFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Breakthrough
Introducing Breakthrough No. 2 p. 1 - On the Conviction of Leonard Peltier with a reprint of a support statement by the Native Study Group of Vancouver, British Columbia p. 4 - The Guardian Sets Out to Build Itself a Party, a PFOC critique p. 9 - The Guardian on Women's "Emancipation" - a proposal to move backwards by Flynn and friends - Burning Spear: reprints from the African People's Socialist Party on Bourgeois Ideology on the Left and on Women in Struggle p. 22 - Assata Convicted with a message from Assata p. 31 - Lenin on Guerrilla Warfare p. 34 - a Comment on Puerto Rico Solidarity Work by some members of PFOC
Breakthrough Breakthrough
Publisher: Prarie Fire Organizing CommitteeYear: 1979Volume Number: Vol. 3-1 SpringFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Breakthrough
Editorial: Revolutionary Internationalism and oppressor nation working class p. 1 - Self-Determination and African Liberation in the u.s.a. (reprint from Soulbook) p. 9 - Armed Struggle until Victory: Patriotic Front defeating US secret war p. 17- The Struggle is for (Native American) Sovereignty: interview with Sid Welsh p. 27, reprinted from Crazy Horse Spirit p. 28, Leonard Peltier Defense Committee p. 33 - Defend Rearguard of revolutionary Puerto Rican Independence Movement, Jose Lopez, Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional at UN Committee on Decolonization Aug. 1978 p. 36 - Dessie Woods p. 42 - Build African National Prison Organization, Burning Spear Dec. 1978 p. 42 -Iranian People Oust Shah's Regime p. 53 - Iranian people's Fedaii Guerrillas p. 54 - Iranian People Kicked Him Out; Don't Let Shah in US (reprint from Resistance Jan. 1979) p. 56 - Correspodence p. 59
Breakthrough Breakthrough
Publisher: Prarie Fire Organizing CommitteeYear: 1980Volume Number: Vol. 4-1 WinterFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Breakthrough
Editorial: Black Nation's Struggle for Land and Independence p. 1 - 'Law and Order' Blueprint for Fascism p. 2 - Assata is Free! BLA Communique p. 12 - Statement from Assata Shakur p. 13 - Puerto Rico: Protect and Defend the Armed Clandestine Movement: "A Nuestro Pueblo" from El Nuevo Dia p. 16 - Statement, Liga Socialista Puertorriquena p. 17 - Statement, Movimiento de Liberacion Nacional p. 18 - Vieques: No Turning Back p. 19 - Free Leonard Peltier: Statements from Leonard Peltier published by Leonard Peltier Defense Committee p. 23 - Free the RNA 11: Free the Land! "RNA Freedom Fighters: A Continuing Episode of Human Rights Violations in Amerika" in New Afrikan (Republic of New Afrika) p. 26 - Denial of Self-Determination: A New Afrikan View in New Afrikan (Republic of New Afrika) p. 31 - Free the Pontiac Brothers! "The People are the Best Judges!" from the FUSE, pub. by New Afrikan Prisoners Organization p. 34 - Revolutionary Struggle in Guyana (Soulbook) p. 38 - Coalition for a Free Guyana p. 42 - Response to the African People's Socialist Party (PFOC Statement) p. 44
Breakthrough Breakthrough
Publisher: Prarie Fire Organizing CommitteeYear: 1984Volume Number: Vol. 8-1 SummerFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Breakthrough
Editorial: Resist the Warmakers! P. 1 - Before the Scales, Tomorrow, poem, Otto Rene Castillo p. 11 - "Candlelight in the Streets, Darkness at Home," Comite de Defensa Popular, Mexico p. 12 - International Womens Day 1984, Women Confront the War Machine p. 18 - Olympics 1984: Counter-insurgency Goes for the Gold p. 20 - From the Clandestine Movement: Red Guerrilla Resistance Bombs Washington Navy Yard p. 27 - United Freedom Front Bombs IBM in New York p. 29 - Write to the Prisoners p. 32 - Correspondence: letter from Germany on repression of political prisoners p. 33 - Don't Talk to the FBI p. 36 - Political Internment USA (inside back cover) -
Breakthrough Breakthrough
Publisher: Prarie Fire Organizing CommitteeYear: 1992Volume Number: Vol. 16-1 SummerFormat: PeriodicalCollection: Breakthrough
Goodbye, Columbus: Thoughts on Western Civilization, Jimmy Emmerman p. 1 - El Salvador: the Road Ahead, interview with FMLN Representative Ramon Cardona p. 4 - A Feminist Guide to the Galaxy, Judith Mirkinson p. 9 - Backlash: the Undeclared War on American Women by Susan Faludi, reviewed by Sally Thomas p. 15 - De Ambiente, interviews with the Nicaraguan Movement of Lesbian Feminists and Gay Men p. 17 - Will Postmodernism Kill the Movement? Les Gottesman p. 24 - Black Women and AIDS: the Second Epidemic, Judy Gerber p. 32 - Supermax: Control Unit Prisons, Nancy Kurshan p. 40 - Can\'t Kill the Spirit: Political Prisoners Update p. 46 - Write Through the Walls p. 47