The Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade is the former youth group of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA. Founded originally as the Attica Brigade, it became the Revolutionary Student Brigade. The RCYB uniform included T-shirts with a large red star superimposed with the silhouette of a young person raising a rifle. Some of these T-Shirts included the message, "I was born in the sewer called capitalism but now I'm living for revolution!"
The RCYB's founding conference was held in 1977 and the key speech was given by the chairman of the RCP, USA, Bob Avakian. In later years the RCYB attempted to form alliances with anarchists and other radicals. These efforts were met with mixed reactions on the left.
The most famous member of the RCYB was Gregory Lee "Joey" Johnson. During the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas, he burned the United States flag to protest the policies of the Reagan administration. Johnson was arrested and convicted, but had his conviction overturned on appeal. The State of Texas then appealed that ruling all the way to the Supreme Court. In his case, Texas v. Johnson, a five justice majority held that Johnson’s act of flag burning was protected speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
The RCYB no longer exists. Young supporters of Bob Avakian now join Revolution Clubs.
Famous quotes containing the words communist, youth and/or brigade:
“In communist society, where nobody has one exclusive sphere of activity but each can become accomplished in any branch he wishes, society regulates the general production and thus makes it possible for me to do one thing today and another tomorrow, to hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, rear cattle in the evening, criticize after dinner, just as I have a mind, without ever becoming hunter, fisherman, shepherd or critic.”
—Karl Marx (1818–1883)
“It seemed monstrous to our intolerant youth that “poor white folksy” men should have an equal right with gentlemen, born and bred, in deciding who should represent the county in the Legislature and the district in Congress.”
—Marion Harland (1830–1922)
“Rational free spirits are the light brigade who go on ahead and reconnoitre the ground which the heavy brigade of the orthodox will eventually occupy.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)