Zionism Divided The Civil Rights Movement

CPI East Coast Regional Captain Noah Schenk has released a powerful new video examining how the question of Zionism created deep fractures within the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s. Drawing on historical records, political theory, and firsthand accounts from the era, Noah explains how debates around Zionism shaped alliances, split organizations, and influenced the direction of the struggle for Black liberation.

In the video, Noah highlights what Lenin referred to as “The Spirit of the Ghetto”—a mindset rooted in isolation, vulnerability, and reactive politics—and contrasts it with the internationalist, outward-looking revolutionary spirit necessary for any genuine movement for liberation. He argues that the foundational ideology of Zionism stands in contradiction to building a unified, anti-imperialist front capable of challenging global oppression.

This is an informative and timely contribution to internal CPI education and broader anti-imperialist study.

WATCH!