Three days were simply not enough to hold the ever-expanding and far-reaching work of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) and the Uhuru Movement since the pre-dawn FBI attacks of July 29, 2022. The unforgettable APSP’s 2026 International Plenary titled “This Time ‘Til It’s Won, Power In Our Own Hands!” was held over the weekend of April 17-19 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Party members and organizers throughout the United States, and all over the world, gathered to celebrate the practical work that has been done by the Uhuru Movement historically and today to prepare the African working class to seize political and economic power.
The first two days of the Plenary were held at the Center for Divine Love on Wyoming St. Decorated with photos of our NCC members of the APSP and the African People’s Solidarity Committee (APSC), as well as the Party’s official flag of the Red, Black and Green with a centered red communist star, strewn across the pulpit and dais, the church resembled halls sanctified with revolutionary fervor than the religious kind.
Downstairs was also a museum exhibit that greeted people with the rich history of the Party’s organizing, from the Party’s beginning stages, the famous Oakland Years to the reparations struggle that kicked off in the 1980s.
Each day began with the singing of our African Nation Fight Song (the only anthem we stand for), a salutation of our leadership, and a review of the work done as well as the work ahead of us.
Chairman Omali Yeshitela delivered his Political Report, which served to deepen our understanding of the theory of African Internationalism and how it sums up the current crisis of the colonial mode of production — a fracturing social system built on the fault line of colonialism, slavery and genocide.
His report offered strategic direction to each of the Party’s departments and organizations. The Political Report is the Main Resolution that the Party votes to adopt and unites to carry out. Party members in attendance voted unanimously to adopt this Main Resolution.
The remainder of the program included workshops on using the electoral arena for seizing political territory, as well as training on mobilizing our communities against ICE and police raids. A particular stand-out was also what is colloquially called the “love panel” organized by the Deputy Chair Ona Zene Yeshitela’s office (ODC). Featuring Akile Anai, Benjamin Prado, Redbeard, Kobina Bantushango, Makeda Baraka, Zayi Vwidisa, and Kuumba Chi Nia, the panelists spoke on what it’s like to fight for the revolution while fighting for love–a resounding theme from the panel was that in more ways than one, those two fights are one and the same.
It is safe to say love was in the air as part of the program also included a surprise as Deputy Chair Ona played a love song she had prepared for Chairman Omali. The pleasantly shocked and endeared look on the Chairman’s face as “Oh, Omali, my forever love” rang loud through the speakers was one for the books.
Like many things about the Plenary, you just had to be there.
The report from ODC of course not only reviewed the immense work done to build and maintain the steadily growing dual and contending economic institutions of the Uhuru Movement, but also highlighted the people behind the work; from volunteers to Party members, everyone involved in implementing the vision for the Black Power Blueprint and transforming St. Louis right before our very eyes was mentioned and celebrated. All this under the unwavering leadership of Deputy Chair Ona.
Organizations like Union Del Barrio came from California to not only give statements of solidarity with the African Revolution, but also demonstrate what true solidarity looks like. Other solidarity speakers included Betty Davis, Efia Nwangaza, Lisa Davis, Ward Churchill, Natsu Saito and many more.
Held at the home base, the Uhuru House on West Florissant Avenue, day three highlighted the many other organizations under the Uhuru Movement umbrella. Under the thespian skills of Director Akile Anai, the Department of Agitation and Propaganda performed its report in stageplay format. With props, special effects, and hidden acting skills amongst our very own comrades, Agitprop delivered its dynamic anticolonial media work with the flair and effervescence unique to the Party.
With dynamic MCs and riveting presentations, including impromptu contributions from Chairman Omali Yeshitela, enriched an already ambitious three-day program that sought to reflect every aspect of what it looks like to take seriously the work to achieve liberation in our lifetime.
As outlined in Chairman Omali Yeshitela’s Political Report to the Fourth Plenary of the African People’s Socialist Party’s Seventh Congress, “The period we have entered is good but dangerous…The current crisis of the social system we know as the colonial mode of production requires our Party to move with a greater discipline, unity and strategic commitment more than anything at any time in our history. The U.S. continues to be at the helm of a social system that is demonstrating death throes that endanger the world, especially those of us functioning as hosts within the parasitic dialectic. The rise of open, mass anti-African genocidal frenzy is not out of the question.”
Though this Plenary was both a reflection of the length and breadth of the Uhuru Movement, a celebration of the victories won and the strides made, as well as a planning forum for the way forward from what we’ve learned since the FBI raids–it was just as much a recommitment to the work that remains ahead of us.
The Party is the last one standing, keeping the fire of the African Revolution burning well into the 21st century, and charting the course to liberation in our lifetime.
Uhuru!
Join the African People’s Socialist Party!
