Abstract

A key point in the history of the Communist Party USA occurred in events surrounding the 16th National Convention, in 1957 and 1958. During this period a struggle over the political and organizational direction of the Party erupted, resulting in a reduced and weakened organization. Most historians give priority to the split between the right and left wings led by Johnny Gates and William Z. Foster, respectively. This overlooks the importance of the center reform forces, who constituted the majority at the 16th Convention and advocated building a mass socialist party based on an indigenous Marxist analysis. This history can be recovered, and the historiography of the CPUSA in the Cold War years enriched, through analysis of previously unpublished correspondence among national leaders of the center trend