Vito Marcantonio Forum Convenes Ninth Reading Circle Session

"The Algonquin Roundtable" by Al Hirschfeld

The Vito Marcantonio Forum (VMF) will continue its successful Reading Circle Cycle Nov. 15, focusing on Marc's seventh, and last, term in Congress as presented in “I Vote My Conscience: Debates, Speeches and Writings.” 

VMF says the East Harlemite's efforts in 1949-50 were characterized by, “an almost one man battle in the vain hope to stem McCarthyism at home and 'Wall Street Imperialism' (as Marc called it) abroad.” 

Professor Gerald Meyer

Among the pearl's rendered by the silver-tongued New Yorker unto the 81^st Congress are assaults on the proposed “Taft-Harley Act” to curtail labor rights, a condemnation of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, and Marc's discourse as the only vote against the Korean War from which the title, “I Vote My Conscience,” was coined.

Pat Ciccarone, a recent addition to the circle, expected these works of Marcantonio's to be dry and dull. “It is anything but,” says Ciccarone. “His speeches are the biggest surprise of all: well-crafted arguments in simple language, direct and to the point, with the added bonus of being uncannily relevant to the current state of affairs."

Attendees benefit from the insights of Professor Gerald Meyer, dean of all things Marcantonio and storehouse of knowledge on the subject without parallel. 

Says Ciccarone, "I like to think of the forum as entitled, 'Marc and His World,' as Jerry does a superb job, not only in facilitating the discussion, but in bringing his professorial knowledge of the period('His World') that puts into historical context the many issues Marc addresses to his Congressional colleagues."

The Reading Circle gathers at 339 W. 24^th Street (between 8^th and 9^th Avenues, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Penn South South Community Room. More information is available on this and other goings on at the VMF's Website. 

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