Benjamin J. Davis, born on this day in 1903, was American lawyer and communist who was elected in 1943 to the New York City Council, representing Harlem. Davis was persecuted by the state via the anti-communist Smith and McCarran Acts.

Davis became radicalized through his role as defense attorney in the 1933 trial of Angelo Herndon, a 19-year-old black communist who had been charged "attempting to incite insurrection" because he tried to organize a farm workers' union.

In 1949, Davis was among a number of communist leaders prosecuted for violating the Smith Act. He was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison. In 1962 Davis was charged with violating the Internal Security Act (also known as the McCarran Act), but died before the case could come to trial.

"Whether one agrees with the Communist Party or not, one must at least know the truth about it. One must not permit his ideas to be shaped by the hysteria which now passes as a 'crusade against Communism'... For example, the canard that every Communist has his pockets lined with 'Moscow gold.' If that were true, one could be sure that there would scarcely be any room in our party for workers. The capitalists, to whom gold is god of the universe, would crowd them out."

  • Benjamin J. Davis

Ben Davis: The Communist Councilman from Harlem cpusa

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  • Mokey [none/use name]
    ·
    1 year ago

    Ive been so tired lately. But I notice my brain is waking me up at 630 without fail. Ive been trying to get back into a sleep cycle for years now. I used to do shift work for a long time and it screwed me up so bad. Before then I could go to sleep at 12 and wake up at 7:41 on the dot.

    I dont care what anyone says shift work is insanely bad for you. You are not meant to do that, do not do it.

    I do not miss working 8-4 and then going home, trying to sleep for 6 hours and then going to work at midnight. The way sleep medicine makes you feel like your heart stopped beating or how your chest feels heavy. The way your brain feels slow and tired and your eyes are heavy. Not being able to fall asleep incase of being fired. It's torture.

    I'm in a relatively good spot now, I try to be thankful when I have moments of clarity to do so. My current work schedule is extremely rare in our shithole country and the work is easy. I plan on staying at my job until the wheels fall off.

    Im also on vacation from this job starting today so I just want to reflect on my hard work and rise from a bad situation.

    Lastly, pronounjak-rage

    This emoji funny

    • TerminalEncounter [she/her]
      ·
      1 year ago

      I have to do it, the kids still need nursing care overnight and we don't do pure overnight shifts in a cycle (it's too cruel, you wouldn't be able to do anything) so people have to switch, except for the more senior nurses that get pure day shifts - reward for sticking to the same place forever, also not much happens overnight anyway its probabky best to have the most experienced people concentrated in days. It sucks there's no underestimating how much it sucks. I still haven't gotten used to it, but it's gotten easier with some zopiclone and melatonin every once in a while. It does reduce your lifespan so yeah its one of those things people should avoid if possible.