Death of a Revolutionary
Death of a Revolutionary
This concluding chapter looks at Patterson's last years. As Patterson's lifespan wound down, it became evident that despite his association with a reviled organization, it was difficult to isolate him altogether, not only because of his track record, which inspired admiration, but also because many African Americans were not necessarily prone to bow to those who only recently had declared their unwavering support for Jim Crow. Thus, a man who made no secret of his desire for a revolutionary transformation of the United States—a nation where conservatism was ingrained—continued to win adherents even as his debilities mounted and his life was expiring. On March 5, 1980, at the age of eighty-nine, Patterson died at Union Hospital in the Bronx. Ultimately, Patterson left behind memories of a life of struggle shaped by an all-pervading hatred of Jim Crow and imperialism; more than that, he saw the path to socialism as paved by the struggle for democratic rights.
Keywords: African Americans, Jim Crow, revolutionary transformation, conservatism, imperialism, socialism, democratic rights
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