“We Won’t Go Back!” says Communist Party at Women’s Marches across the country

“I am marching because women’s rights are human rights and we are prepared to stand up every day of this administration for the rights of everyone,” said one participant in the Communist Party delegation at the Women’s March rally at the state capitol in Hartford, Connecticut. The CPUSA is one of over 500 partner organizations of the Women’s March that have joined together. Organizers had called the sister rally two weeks earlier.  The turnout of 10,000 was the largest of any in recent times, adding to the state’s 80 charter buses to Washington DC and many hundreds more who traveled to the Boston and New York sister marches.

The extraordinary outpouring of millions of people in the United States and on every continent sent a strong message that there is a united and strong resistance against the Trump administration which will continue.

The Communist Party USA is one of over 500 partner organizations of the Women’s March that have joined together around eight “unity principles” for ending violence, and for reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, worker’s rights, civil rights, disability rights, immigrant rights and environmental justice.

Across the country CPUSA members were part of the massive marches and rallies from the nation’s capitol to large cities and small towns.

In Washington, D.C. marchers from Maryland, Virginia, New York and DC had planned to meet up and walk with the Communist Party banner, “We Won’t Go Back.” The wall-to-wall crowds make it impossible to find each other. 

But when those from Balitmore unfurled the banner at their location, it attracted lots of photos and good conversations.  Others distributed the literature they had brought to the people where they marched.

“Despite the confusion, we all helped make history — our history.  For that we can all be proud,” said Margaret Baldridge, a Baltimore resident, who had coordinated the effort.

The rally in Houston, Texas was organized in ten days, led by the League of Women Voters.  It was the largest in the city’s history. 

“Houston loved our banner!” said Alvaro Rodriguez. Houston Mayor Silvester Turner, and Congressman Al Green who boycotted the inauguration were among the speakers along with the many organizations who sponsored and spoke.

In Los Angeles, at least 750,000 turned out. The delegation that planned to carry the “We Won’t Go Back” banner could not make their way to each other in the crowds.  When the banner was opened up, quite a few people stopped  to take a picture.

“People’s mood was uplifting and hopeful, so many clever signs I could not stop snapping pictures until my phone battery died. One thing was on their minds, a commitment to stop Trump.” said Rossana Cambron, an activist who lives in LA.

“This march reminded me of the immigrant rights march in 2006. Most people who had also attended the immigrant rights march felt that Saturday’s was larger. No police were present, and no disturbances,” she reported.

In Tucson, Arizona, the large, annual civil rights march on Martin Luther King Day, culminated in a huge Women’s March of over 20,000. Many others took place in that state including 50,000 in Phoenix and many small towns. 

Many in the delegation that planned to carry the Communist Party banner could not make their way to each other through the crowds, but the banner got a great response.

A great team carried the banner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where the turnout was also huge.

In New York City, the Women’s March was 500,000 strong.  Streets throughout the Manhattan march route were packed with people all the way to Trump Tower. 

A special edition of the People’s World got a wonderful response.  “It was an amazing protest,” said Estevan Nembhard, “the most diverse I’ve ever seen. It could have been a subway car filled with regular people.

“It was a powerful and strong projection of what Trump is doing and that people are ready to go.”

In Hartford, Connecticut, two school buses chartered by the Yale Unions and the Peoples Center a few days earlier were full. 

The We Won’t Go Back banner was a great meet up point for those from Hartford and around the state who wanted to stand with the Communist Party on this historic day.

All photos featured in this article are PW photos.