Radical Solidarity - by Lisa G Materson

About the Book

"Radical Solidarity tells the riveting story of Ruth Reynolds (1916-1989), a white pacifist from South Dakota who became a stalwart ally of nationalist revolutionaries during Puerto Rico's long struggle for independence. Reynolds dedicated her life to ending US control of the archipelago. She testified before Congress and the UN, organized fellow North Americans, investigated the brutal tactics used by the colonial state to quash independence sentiment, and was incarcerated as a political prisoner. Lisa G. Materson introduces the concept of 'radical solidarity,' to describe Reynolds's powerful model for globally engaged activism. Guided by her vision of allyship, Reynolds developed deep bonds with Puerto Rican nationalist women with whom she was imprisoned, collaborated across ideological divides with revolutionary leaders, and established lasting relationships with civil rights lawyers, political exiles, and New Left activists. Her radical solidarity enabled her to remain a tireless champion for Puerto Rico's independence through five decades of hope, disappointment, and political change. Her life reveals the price paid by those who supported an independent Puerto Rico and sheds light on the possibilities of working across difference in the face of US state-sanctioned violence and colonialism"

Book Synopsis

Radical Solidarity tells the riveting story of Ruth Reynolds (1916-89), a white pacifist from South Dakota who became a stalwart ally of nationalist revolutionaries during Puerto Rico's long struggle for independence. Reynolds dedicated her life to ending US control of the archipelago. She testified before Congress and the UN, organized fellow North Americans, investigated the brutal tactics used by the colonial state to quash independence sentiment, and was incarcerated as a political prisoner.

Lisa G. Materson introduces the concept of "radical solidarity" to describe Reynolds's powerful model for globally engaged activism. Guided by her vision of allyship, Reynolds developed deep bonds with the Puerto Rican nationalist women with whom she was imprisoned, collaborated across ideological divides with revolutionary leaders, and established lasting relationships with civil rights lawyers, political exiles, and New Left activists. Her radical solidarity enabled her to remain a tireless champion for Puerto Rico's independence through five decades of hope, disappointment, and political change. Her life reveals the price paid by those who supported an independent Puerto Rico and sheds light on the possibilities of working across differences in the face of US state-sanctioned violence and colonialism.

Review Quotes

"A masterful and beautiful account of the complicated and steadfast activist. . . . Materson, in her thorough retelling of Reynolds's story, offers the reader a portrait of a complicated life, one that was not devoted to material wealth or personal gain but to her ideals and her steadfast belief in social justice and equality."--The Americas

"Brillian[t]. . . . Radical Solidarity is an engaging biography that shows how allies can work with others in solidarity without minimizing the voices of those facing oppression."--H-Caribbean

"Historians of US political history should add this excellent biography to their libraries. . . . Materson skillfully weaves personal retrospection through the story she reconstructs from the rich archive documenting Reynolds' long career. . . . [An] illuminating account."--Diplomatic History

"In this stunning biography of Ruth Reynolds, a lifelong pacifist with deep roots in the Midwest, Lisa Materson introduces us not only to one of the twentieth century 's most devoted, and unlikely, champions of Puerto Rican independence but also to the revelatory concept of radical solidarity. Neither political imprisonment nor the turn to violence on the part of some of her closest friends dislodged Reynolds's commitment to exposing the colonial subjugation of Puerto Rico. Bringing a feminist lens to a lifetime of anti-imperialist politics, Materson brilliantly offers Reynolds's life as a master lesson in allyship while likewise bringing attention to a too-long-overlooked chapter of American empire."--Lorena Oropeza, author of The King of Adobe: Reies López Tijerina, Lost Prophet of the Chicano Movement

"Lisa Materson has drawn on an impressive array and quantity of resources that make for an extremely moving and inspiring read. It is an excellent and important project."--Margaret Power, author of Solidarity across the Americas: The Puerto Rican Nationalist Party and Anti-imperialism

"Materson succeeds in her attempt to recover the life of Ruth Reynolds, to explore what 'radical solidarity' might look like in practice, and to remind readers of the colonial relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States."--Peace & Change

"Materson's discussion of Reynolds's life helps us understand the complexities of solidarity activism as well as the ways that Puerto Ricans and their allies have fought for liberation from colonial rule. Well written and engaging, the book stands to make a major contribution to the field." -- Marisol LeBrón, author of Policing Life and Death: Race, Violence, and Resistance in Puerto Rico

About the Author

Lisa G. Materson is professor of history at the University of California, Davis.