From the 1920s through the 1950s, American Communists established children's organizations, after-school programs, and summer camps with the aim of developing "revolutionary consciousness" in the minds of the younger generation. In organizations such as the Young Pioneers of America and summer camps such as Camp Kinderland, located in New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and California, more than 20,000 children learned about Communist doctrines, played games designed to foster radical beliefs, and sometimes actively participated in key Communist causes and events - from May Day parades to labour strikes and political demonstrations. This book examines how Communist parents attempted to rear their children in the cause closest to their hearts. Their ultimate social and political goals, and their sometimes contradictory desires as parents, Mishler shows, were reflected in the education and upbringing of their children. The author, Paul Mishler, argues that these organizations and activities were used not only to help guarantee the future of radicalism in America, but also to elaborate Marxist ideas into a way of life and forge cohesion in the fractious Communist ranks.
Along the way, Mishler describes how crucial Party debates - such as whether immigrants should assimilate or maintain their ethnic identities, the role of women in the Party, and the importance of African-American liberation - played out in raising radical children. Finally, Mishler turns to the production of Marxist music and literature for children to show how the arts were used to help create a complete radical education.