Coal miners, textile and other workers, and youth from the University of Alabama were among the 20 participants in the day's events. Socialist workers and youth traveled from Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina, for the program as well.

The featured presentation was given by Ma'mud Shirvani, editor of Pathfinder's Farsi-language program. He spoke on "Imperialist Militarism from the Middle East to the Indian Subcontinent: Wash-ington's War Abroad--Extension of Growing Attacks on Workers at Home." Shirvani, who edited the Farsi-language edition of Malcolm X Talks to Young People, also gave a class on "Malcolm X and the fight against imperialism today" over the course of the weekend's events.

"Five Points West is part of the historic Ensley area of Birmingham, home to thousands of steelworkers and other industrial workers, many of them Black, and now includes a growing number of Latino workers," said textile worker Susan LaMont, who welcomed everyone to the program. "Since we've started concentrating more of our Militant sales in this area, we're finding many workers and young people who are glad to hear about a bookstore like Pathfinder opening in their neighborhood."

LaMont read a message to the meeting from Willie Evans, a leading activist in the strike that recently ended after nearly four years at Titan Tire in Natchez, Mississippi. Evans, a member of United Steelworkers of America Local 303L, wrote in part: "I send warm greetings to you on this blessed day, and congratulate you on the wonderful accomplishments of the new location and Grand Opening of the Pathfinder Bookstore. This is another milestone that has been etched in time, leading toward our goals of educating the workers, farmers, miners, and the young generation in their rights by means of the many books and other materials that the Pathfinder Bookstore has to offer."

The program was chaired by Brian Taylor, a member of United Mine Workers of America Local 2133. Taylor told the audience about the upcoming Havana International Book Fair, which Pathfinder will be participating in along with an international delegation.

The week before the opening, the Birmingham Times, a newsweekly widely read in this city's Black community, did an interview with Taylor about the new bookstore. The article appeared a few days before the event.

"Well, get ready for something totally new," wrote Times journalist Rabel Hardrick in the January 24 issue. "Birmingham's superbusy highway is about to welcome a new bookstore dealing with economic and social issues.... Pathfinder coordinator Brian Taylor says Bessemer Road is the ideal location for a Pathfinder Bookstore.... This is not the best time for small businesses, but [for] what Pathfinder is and does, it's actually prime time."

Participants in the grand opening donated more than $600 to help with renovation of the bookstore. Volunteers have pitched in since early January to get the store in shape. In addition to workers and youth from Birmingham who worked on fixing up the bookstore, a team of Pathfinder supporters from Atlanta came over one weekend to help get the premises ready to open for business.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home