9 The book to read is T. Kornweibel's “Seeing Red ”: Federal Campaigns Against Black Militancy, 1919-1925 (basis for these tweets).
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Replying to @HeerJeet
10. In the wake of first world war & attendant upheavals, period from 1919 onwards saw renewed black militancy, often led by war vets.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
11. Post-1917, USA caught up in Red Scare. Hoover's policy innovation was to combine red-baiting with opposition to black militancy
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Replying to @HeerJeet
12. As part of Justice Dept's General Intelligence Division (forerunner to FBI) Hoover in 1920s target black militants of all stripes.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
13. 1920s black militants came in many strips from black nationalists to liberal integrationists. Hoover opposed them all.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
14. During the first Red Scare, Hoover came to realize the power he could accrue as enemy of "subversives."
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Replying to @HeerJeet
15. But it's important to remember who the "subversives" were in Hoover's eyes: anyone who would subvert white supremacy.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
16. Hoover's anti-communism was inextricable from his racism. That's the reality mainstream political discourse shies away from.
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17. As
@mcurryfelidae07 reminds me, Hoover belonged to long tradition of linking anti-socialism with support for racial hierarchy.2 replies 1 retweet 4 likes -
Replying to @HeerJeet
18. Hoover's power rested on two pillars: conservative love his anti-communism and the cowardice & complicity of liberal politicians.
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19. FDR bears a large part of the blame for empowering Hoover -- and after him Truman, JFK and LBJ were too scared to challenge.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
20. The anti-communist FBI worked to box in the civil rights movement with daily harassment, spying and blacklist of radical voices.
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Replying to @HeerJeet
21. FBI's harassment of Civil Rights movement is big story. Let's focus in on a detail: the murder of Viola Liuzzo
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