Socialist Party of Michigan
|
Socialist Party of Michigan
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Chairperson | Adam Adrianson |
| Senate leader | None |
| House leader | None |
| Founded | 1973 |
| Headquarters | Detroit, MI |
| Ideology |
Democratic socialism Revolutionary socialism Socialist feminism |
| National affiliation | Socialist Party USA |
| Colors | Red |
| Website | |
| SPMI | |
The Socialist Party of Michigan (SPMI) is the state chapter of the Socialist Party USA in the U.S. state of Michigan. A party by the same name was the affiliate of the Socialist Party of America from 1901 until the national party renamed itself in a 1973 split.
The Socialist Party of Michigan was the state affiliate of the Socialist Party of America (SPA), established in the summer of 1901. During the late 1910s the organization came under the influence of a radical faction based in Detroit headed by John Keracher, which banned the advocacy of ameliorative reforms by party members, under penalty of expulsion. This brought the organization into conflict with the National Office of the SPA, which expelled the state organization in May 1919, "reorganizing" the state organization under more moderate leadership that same year.
Michigan went "dry" early in 1918, which had the effect of putting a number of bars and beer gardens out of business. Meeting halls became comparatively cheap to rent and purchase. Late in April 1918, Socialist Party regular Maurice Sugar and his friends helped to raise $10,000 through entertainments and raffles to pay for the down payment on a large building in Detroit which was later christened “The House of the Masses.” A corporation consisting of members of Local Detroit Socialist Party was put in trust of the facility, which had a restaurant, game rooms, meeting rooms, and a large hall. With the establishment of a proper headquarters facility, membership in the Detroit Socialist organization increased dramatically, although fundraising to continue payments on the $70,000 facility also proved to be a burden for the local organization.
The 1916 convention was held in Muskegon on Sunday, September 17, and Monday, September 18, and was attended by some 60 delegates. The gathering was called to order by State Secretary John Keracher of Detroit. The report of the State Executive Committee showed an increase of membership in the party to about 4,000, although the organization remained on unsure financial grounds, showing a deficit of over $500.
...
Wikipedia