A pamphlet for progressives and radicals, to support our social justice movements in combating anti-Jewish oppression from a perspective of liberation for all people.
Free downloads at www.thepast.info
What People Are Saying
“In order to build powerful movements we must take on antisemitism as what it is: a divide-and-rule strategy that has served to maintain ruling classes, conceal who actually has power, and confuse us about the real systems of oppression that pit us against one another. …Rosenblum’s pamphlet needs to be studied and the lessons applied.” – Chris Crass, organizer, The Catalyst Project: a center for political education and movement building
"At once a visionary manifesto, historical treasure trove, and practical activist handbook, The Past Didn’t Go Anywhere comes out of the underground zine culture of recent decades, where members of punk, anarchist, and other alternative communities have long been self-publishing and circulating creative, often handmade pamphlets on a variety of topics. Each of The Past’s 36 pages is full to bursting with the urgency of its message. Bold headlines in a handwritten font set the pace. Photos of diverse Jewish activists and communities, disturbing antisemitic cartoons, scenes of early 2000s war and protest—these and other images jostle for space alongside blocks of text in a jagged patchwork tapestry as rich and messy as its topic. " – Ben Lorber, Jewish Currents
About the author
April Rosenblum, 27, was born and raised in activist movements in Philadelphia. She became politicized herself by government attempts in 1995 to execute U.S. political prisoner and Philadelphia journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal. Over time she has also worked on issues including police brutality, political prisoners and prisoners’ rights, womens’ reproductive freedom, immigrants’ rights, poverty, anti-racist education and Palestinian self-determination. She graduated with a B.A. in History from Temple University.
She writes, “My work to create ‘The Past’ was inspired by noticing how afraid I was to speak up when I noticed instances of anti-Jewish oppression in the movements I called home. I realized that my activist friends were, like me, staying silent not out of antisemitism, but because they needed basic tools to confront it. I hope it will be a resource for Jewish and non-Jewish organizers, activists, and other people passionate about building movements that can win.”