RPA History: A Chronology
1968: Radical Caucus formed within Eastern Division of APA
May 1982: 1st conference of U.S. and Cuban Marxist Philosophers held in Havana, Cuba
December 1982: APA meetings in Baltimore
* two Cuban philosophers invited to speak at APA denied visas by U.S. State Department
* Radical Caucus reformed as Radical Philosophy Association
April 9-10, 1983: 1st New York RPA regional conference at Marxist School
April 1983: Central APA, RPA sessions; Kathy Russell to be Mid-West regional coordinator
September 24-25, 1983: 2nd New York RPA reginal conference at NYU
Dec. 1983: Eastern APA, 3 RPA sessions
May 26-27, 1984: 3rd New York RPA regional conference at Stony Brook; 100 participants
Fall 1984: 1st computerization of RPA mailing list; as a step towarda RPA journal, Newsletter to print synopses of articles and presentations by RPA members
December 1985: Eastern APA, 5 RPA sessions [Cliff DuRand & Carolyn Korsmeyer]
March 2-3, 1985: RPA regional conf. In Balto. at PAC; 50 participants; steering committee selected to plan future conferences; need to have officers; Cliff DuRand to collect dues.
Spring 1985: Tony Smith elected president of Mid-West RPA
Oct. 12-13, 1985: regional conf. on Gender, Race & Class at NY Marxist School; steering committee established
Dec. 28, 1985: Eastern APA, 4 RPA sessions [Joe Walsh]; joint session of RPA, SWIP & APA Comm. on Blacks in Phil.
Feb. 15-16, 1986: joint conf. "From Experience to Theory and Action: The Politics of ŒDifference‚" of RPA, SWIP & APA Comm. on Blacks in Phil. In Balto. at PAC
April 18-20, 1986: begin organizing sessions at Socialist Scholars Conference; 4 sessions
Spring 1986: Sandra Bartky, Milton Fisk, Nancy Fraser, Bill McBride & David Schweickart join steering comm. from the Mid-West
April 1986: Socialist Scholars Conference, 4 RPA sessions [Bob Stone]
May 1986: Central APA, 2 RPA sessions [David Schweickart]
July 19-26, 1986: Philosopher's Trip to Nicaragua (with SPSM)
September 26-27, 1986: 3rd joint conf. in New York
December 1986: Eastern APA, 5 RPA sessions
Feb. 28-March 1, 1987: joint conf. in Balto. at PAC
March 1987: 1st RPA session at Pacific Division of APA [Anatole Anton]
April 1987: Socialist Scholars Conf., 9 RPA sessions
May 1987: Central APA, 3 RPA sessions
Summer 1987: over 700 on RPA mailing list, 112 paid dues
Sept. 12-13, 1987: regional conf. on Gender, Race & Class in the U.S. Constitution, in Philadelphia [John Ryder]
Dec. 1987: Eastern APA, 4 RPA sessions [Otto Begus]; RPA committee structure adopted
March 12-13, 1988: joint conf. on Coalition Politics from the 1960s to the Rainbow in Balto. at PAC; officers: Bob Stone, eastern region coordinator; Richard Schmitt & Janice McLane, Newsletter editors; Cliff DuRand, secretary-treasurer
April 1988: Socialist Scholars Conference, [LaVerne Shelton]
Dec. 1988: Eastern APA, 4 RPA sessions; Radical Philosophy Review of Books established (Joe Walsh, Editor, Cliff DuRand, production)
Spring 1989: RPA promotes speaking tour of Philip Agee to launch his book, Inside the Company
April 1989: Socialist Scholars Conference, [Mary Gibson, Pat Mann & Joe Walsh]
Nov. 4-5, 1989: 8th Eastern Regional meeting at NY Marxist School
Dec. 1989: 1st issue of RPRB
December 1989: Eastern APA, 4 RPA sessions
March 1990: Pacific APA, 1 RPA session [Jack Pitt & Anatol Anton]
April 1990: Central APA, 2 RPA sessions [Dennis Senchuk & Justin Schwartz]
Spring 1990: Socialist Scholars Conf., 9 RPA sessions [Steven Jay Gold & Leonard Harris]
1990: 2nd Conference of North American & Cuban Philosophers „Human Being & Social Progress‰ [Cliff DuRand]
Fall 1990: planned national conference in Detroit on Visions of Socialism cancelled [Ron Aronson]
October 19-21, 1990: RPA helped launch Midwest Radical Scholars & Activists Conference in Chicago on the theme "Challenging the New World Order," 1200 participants in 120 sessions, 23 organized by RPA
December 1990: Eastern APA, 4 RPA sessions [Phil Gasper, Leonard Harris & Richard Schmitt]
March 1991: Pacific APA, 1 RPA session [Jack Pitt]
April 1991: Central APA, 2 RPA sessions [Justin Schwartz]
April 1991: Socialist Scholars Conference, 7 RPA sessions [Dion Farquahar, Doug Kellner, Pat Mann, Richard Schmitt & Bob Stone]
May 24-June 4, 1991: 3rd Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers "The Future of Socialism: The View from Cuba:" [Cliff DuRand]
Nov. 8-10, 1991: Midwest Radical Activists & Scholars Conf., 18 RPA sessions [Bill Martin]
Dec. 24, 26, 29, 1991: RPA records stolen in break-ins at PAC in Baltimore
Dec. 1991: Eastern APA, 4 RPA sessions [Steve Gold]
March 1992: Pacific APA, 1 RPA session [Jack Pitt]
April 1992: Western APA, 2 RPA sessions
April 24-26, 1992: Socialist Scholars Conf., 6 RPA sessions [Uma Narayan, Steve Gold & Pat Mann]
May 29-June 12, 1992: 4th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers [Cliff DuRand, Bob Stone, & Joy Gordon]
Fall 1992: 14 members report having e-mail [Newsltr #29]
Oct. 1992: Alberto Fraga defects while on RPA speaking tour
Dec. 1992: 4 sessions at Eastern APA [Steve Gold & Fred Evans]
Feb. 18, 1993: Calvin Griffin trial [Newsltr #31]
Feb. 19-21, 1993: RPA conf. "Philosophers Combating Racism" at PAC
* beginning of Anti Racism Classroom Project
April 9-11, 1993: Socialist Scholars Conference, 10 sessions [Robert Birt, Cliff DuRand, Gail Presby & Bob Stone]
April 1993: speaking tour by Cuban philosopher Olga Fernandez [Cliff DuRand]
1993: RPA sessions at 19th World Congress of Philosophy in Moscow [Rodney Peffer]
1993: 5th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers "Constructing Socialism: The View from Cuba" [Cliff DuRand]
December 1993: Eastern APA, 4 RPA sessions [Steve Gold & Jo-Ann Pilardi]
April 1-3, 1994: Socialist Scholars Conference, 7 RPA sessions [Gail Presby & Betsy Bowman]
June 10-24, 1994: 6th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers [Cliff DuRand]
Nov. 3-6, 1994: 1st RPA National Conference "Uniting for Social Change: A Radical Agenda for the Next Decade" at Drake Univ.
* 125-150 attend, many graduate students with help of $2000 travel fund
* internet committee (Bob Stubbings) & Directory of RPA Members established; volunteers to help graduate students & junior faculty get jobs & get published
* Proceedings privately published by Bob Stone; initial 70 copies quickly sold out
* financial surplus of $2924 realized
December 1994: Eastern Division APA, 3 RPA sessions [Jo-Ann Pilardi]
Spring 1995: Ann Pomeroy becomes membership secretary; Andy Light corresponding secretary
April 7-9, 1995: SSC with 10 panels and 33 speakers [Betsy Bowman & Karsten Struhl]
April 1995: Central APA, 2 RPA sessions
June 9-23, 1995: 7th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers and Social Scientists [Cliff DuRand]
Summer 1995: begin discussion of publisher for RPRB; idea for an anti-death penalty project; anti-part-timization project ; Center for Democratic Values established as a think-tank to respond to the rise of the right [Ron Aronson]
December 1995: Eastern APA, 5 RPA sessions
Jan. 5-15, 1996: Mexico Study Trip [Bob Stone]
Feb 26, 1996: undergraduate essay contest Against the Death Penalty
April 12-14, 1996: Socialist Scholars Conf., 8 RPA sessions
April 1996: Pacific APA, [Jack Pitt]
April 1996: Central APA, 2 RPA sessions [Milton Fisk & Dennois Senchuk]
June 7-21, 1996: 8th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers and Social Scientists [Cliff DuRand]
1996: 1st Directory of RPA Members published
Nov. 1-19, 1996: speaking tour by Cuban philosopher Miguel Limia [Cliff DuRand]
Nov. 14-17, 1996: 2nd National/International Conference "Globalization from Below" at Purdue University
* over 150 participants, 46 panels & 4 plenaries
* RPA Constitution adopted
* Bob Stone retires as Coordinator
* Latin American Solidarity Group convened [Beth Rosdatter, chair]
* proceedings edited by Andrew Light & Mecke Nagel published by Humanities Press
December 1996: Eastern APA, 6 RPA sessions [Lewis Gordon]
March 1997: Pacific APA, 3 RPA sessions [Anatole Anton]
April 1997: Central APA, 3 RPA sessions
April 1997: Socialist Scholars Conference
Spring 1997: Joe Walsh steps down as editor of RPRB; Lewis Gordon & Andrew Light become editors of Radical Philosophy Review to be published by Humanities Press; RPA web page established
May 1997: RPA initiated resolution against death penalty approved by APA Eastern Division in a mail ballot
June 12-26, 1997: 9th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers and Social Scientists [Cliff DuRand]
June 20-July 1, 1997: 2nd Mexico Study Trip
* Mexico City, Chiapas [Wes Rehberg]
* Conference of Philosophers & Social Scientists of Mexico, Canada & U.S.: North-South Dialogue in Puebla [Rodney Pfeffer & Fred Evans]
Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 1997: Intersections of Race conference at Morgan State University
* Counter-Racist Classrooms Project [Greg Moses]
December 1997: Eastern APA, 7 RPA sessions
March 1998: Socialist Scholars Conference, 7 RPA sessions [Betsy Bowman]
March 1998: Latin American Support Group establishes FAT labor organizer support fund [Fred Evans]
June 12-26, 1998: 10th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers and Social Scientists [Cliff DuRand]
Aug. 10-16, 1998: World Congress of Philosophy in Boston; RPA holds 4 sessions
* adopts RPA initiated resolution against the death penalty
Oct. 1998: Disabilities Project formed [Joan Mason-Grant]
Nov. 5-8, 1998: 3rd International Conference "Radical Philosophy for the 21st Century: Towards Formations of New Political Cultures & Directions" at San Francisco State Univ.
* 170 participants, over 40 panels
* Cliff DuRand retires as Treasurer-Secretary; Harry van der Linden becomes Treasurer, Joanna Crosby becomes Secretary
* LASG launches Chiapas Solidarity Project, RPA adopts La Realidad as a sister community, Fred Evans and Patricia Huntington elected co-chairs of LASG
Dec. 1998: first issue of RPR published by Brill
December 1998: Eastern APA, 10 RPA sessions
April 1999: Socialist Scholars Conf., 4 RPA sessions [Betsy Bowman]
Spring 1999: Bob Randolph named RPA House Poet
June 9-23, 1999: 11th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers and Social Scientists [Cliff DuRand]
Summer 1999: debate over proposed resolution re Cuba's death penalty [Newsltr. #49]
August 16-20, 1999: 2nd North-South Dialogue in Puebla [Richard Schmitt & Fred Evans]
Nov. 5-6, 1999: Teaching Philosophy Radically conference at SUNY Binghamton [Bat-Ami Bar On]
December 1999: Eastern APA, 7 RPA sessions
March 24, 2000: publication of "Against NATO's War in Yugoslavia" by New York City RPA group
March 31-April 2, 2000: Socialist Scholars Conf., 11 RPA sessions [Betsy Bowman]
June 14-28, 2000: 12th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers and Social Scientists [Cliff DuRand and Jualynne Dodson]
Nov. 1-4, 2000: 4th Biannual RPA Conference "Radical Philosophy & Politics: To Begin a New Millennium" at Loyola University, Chicago
* revisions to RPA Constitution
* Anti-Intervention Project established [Betsy Bowman]
January 2001: delegation to conference on "Emancipatory Paradigms in Latin America" in Cuba [Cliff DuRand & Jim Munro]
April 2001: Socialist Scholars Conf., 3 RPA sessions [Betsy Bowman]
Spring 2001: AIP publishes pamphlet "Plan Colombia: Plan for Peace? Plan for War?" by Richard Schmitt
June 19-July 3, 2001: 13th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers and Social Scientists [Cliff DuRand and Jualynne Dodson]
August 14-17, 2001: 3rd North-South Dialogue in Mexico City
September 6-19, 2001: speaking tours for Cuban scholars Miguel Limia (philosophy), Clotilde Proveyer (history), Emilio Duharte (political science), and Carlos Cabrera (political science) [Cliff DuRand]
Fall 2001: volume 2 of RPA Proceedings "The Problems of Resistance: Studies in Alternative Political Cultures," edited by Steve Martinot & Joy James published by Humanity Books
December 2001: Eastern APA, 4 RPA sessions
March 2002: Pacific APA, 4 RPA sessions
April 2002: Central APA, 2 RPA sessions
April 2002: Socialist Scholars Conf., 2 RPA sessions [Betsy Bowman]
Spring 2002: RPA becomes member of International Federation of Philosophy Societies, FISP
June 18-July 2, 2002: 14th Conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers and Social Scientists [Cliff DuRand and Jualynne Dodson]
Nov. 7-10, 2002: 5th Biennial RPA Conference "Activism, Ideology, & Radical Philosophy" at Brown University
* Richard Schmitt retires as Coordinator; Anatole Anton & Mecke Nagel become Co-Coordinators
November 7-10, 2002: The Fifth bi-annual RPA Conference was held on the campus of Brown University in Providence, RI. Its theme was “Activism, Ideology and Radical and Philosophy,” 58 panels. The RPA membership passed a resolution opposing the war in Iraq.
2002 Cuba Conference—RPA’s 20th Anniversary of activity in Cuba—95 members in delegation.
June 17 to July 1, 2003: the 15th conference of North American and Cuban Philosophers and Social Scientists in Havana, Cuba.
Summer of 2003, Betsey Bowman, Bob Stone, and Cliff DuRand establish the Center for Global Justice in San Miguel de Allende, in Mexico. One of the center's many activities consisted of organizing several conferences for North American members of RPA and their friends.
November, 2003, Bob Stone and Betsy Bowman represented RPA at the annual meeting of the Mexican Philosophy Association in Guadalajara.
June 15-29, 2004: the 16th Conference Of North American and Cuban philosophers and Social Scientists was held in Havana, Cuba.
November 2004 the Sixth RPA conference was held at Howard University in Washington DC. The conference theme was “Philosophy Against Empire,” 50 panels, 145 participants.
In the same year, Mecke Nagel launched WAGADU: a Journal of Transnational Women's and Gender Studies.
October, 2006, Cliff DuRand and Bob Stone write letters to Mexican President Vincente Fox protesting violence in Oaxaca.
November 2006, Seventh Biennial RPA Conference “Reclaiming Democracy: Visions and Practices from the Radical Left,” Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, 38 panels.
* Anne Pomeroy and Richard Jones elected Co-coordinators.
December, 2006, Eastern APA, 2 RPA sessions—“End of Tolerance,” and “Authors Lewis Gordon and Jane Gordon) Meet Critics.”
2006 also saw the publication of the 4th volume in the series Radical Philosophy Today. This one had the title “Philosophy Against Empire,” and was edited by Harry van der Linden.
2007 Doug Morris takes on the job of Outreach coordinator for RPA.
2007—The RPA files for Non-Profit Corporation in the State of California under new name “Foundation for Radical Philosophy” (FRP).
Summer, 2007, RPA marked 25 years of visits to and exchange of with philosophers and social scientists in Cuba. Cliff DuRand and Bob Stone honored by University of Havana.
November, 2008, Eighth Biennial RPA Conference, “Art Praxis and Social Transformation: Radical Dreams and Visions,” held at San Francisco State University, 70 panels, 4 plenaries, 250 participants: site coordinator Anatole Anton and program committee chair Peter Amato produce the largest RPA conference.
September 2008 RPA Newsletter, the coordinators note that the organization is changing. In prior years there existed a number of committees in the organization dealing with anti-racist education, the death penalty, prisons and other issues. These committees have fallen by the wayside.
Summer, 2008, the RPA, represented by Prof. Rodney Peffer from the University of San Diego, participated in the XXIInd World Congress of Philosophy in Seoul, South Korea.
2008 also saw the publication of the 5th volume in the series Radical Philosophy Today. This one had the title “Democracy, Racism and Prisons.” and was edited by Harry van der Linden.
2008, by vote of its members, the site for the RPA’s 9th Biennial National Conference is decided as The University of Oregon, Eugene.
* Anne Pomeroy and Richard Jones reelected RPA Co-coordinators.
November, 2008, Jose Mendoza elected Co-outreach Representative.
July, 2009 a number of members of RPA traveled to South Africa, to the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town for a conference on “ Transnational Capitalism, Identity, and Immigration.” Represents the first organized RPA activity in Africa.
2009, Agreement signed with New York University’s Tamiment Library to archive RPA historical documents. Longtime RPA historian Cliff Durand transfers his historical RPA records to NYU.
September, 2009, Jeffrey Paris, for a number of years the editor of the Radical Philosophy Review resigned his post. Richard Jones and Harry van der Linden took up the posts of interim editors
2010, the RPA is represented in sessions at the Eastern, Central, and Pacific Division meetings of the APA.
November 11th-14th, 2010, the RPA, Ninth Biennial Conference, “Violence: Systemic, Symbolic, and Foundational,” held at the University of Oregon, Eugene.
