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Red Falcons of America: Establishment

The Red Falcons were socialist children's organizations that emerged in Europe and the United States during the early 20th century. The first group was founded in Austria in the early 1900s and aimed to provide socialist education and activities for children. In the US, the Socialist Party established the Red Falcons of America in 1932 to fill an age gap not served by existing socialist youth groups. The Red Falcons of America organized local flights for two age divisions and coordinated activities through a national organization and publication. Membership grew to around 900 children in 45 local groups by the first year.

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78 views2 pages

Red Falcons of America: Establishment

The Red Falcons were socialist children's organizations that emerged in Europe and the United States during the early 20th century. The first group was founded in Austria in the early 1900s and aimed to provide socialist education and activities for children. In the US, the Socialist Party established the Red Falcons of America in 1932 to fill an age gap not served by existing socialist youth groups. The Red Falcons of America organized local flights for two age divisions and coordinated activities through a national organization and publication. Membership grew to around 900 children in 45 local groups by the first year.

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txspacecadet
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Red Falcons was the name of various socialist children's organizations, popular in Europe and the

United States which emerged during the First and Second World Wars. The first such group was
founded in the early 20th century by Anton Tesarek, a socialist educator from Austria, under the
name "Rote Falken." The origin of the name is unclear; one possible explanation is that the Falcon is
a bird of prey with no imperial links (the eagle was the symbol of the German empire, adopted later
by the Nazis.) It is red to symbolise socialism.

Contents

 1Red Falcons of America


o 1.1Establishment
o 1.2Divisions
o 1.3Structure
o 1.4Membership size
 2International Falcon Movement
 3See also
 4Footnotes
 5External links

Red Falcons of America[edit]


Establishment[edit]
The Red Falcons of America was established by the Socialist Party of America (SPA) in July 1932.
[1]
 The group was targeted at children who might otherwise be swept up by the Boy Scouts and Girl
Scouts movement, which was seen as a training organization for the military, or the Sunday schools,
which were seen as a source of passivity and fatalism.[2]

An age gap was seen in the American socialist youth movement, with the Socialist Sunday
Schools only accepting children up to the age of 10 while the Young People's Socialist
League (YPSL) began taking members only at the age of 14.[1] The new organization was seen as a
means of filling this unserved age gap.[1]

Boys and girls between the ages of 8 and 15 were eligible for membership in the Red Falcons.[2] The
organization's stated purposes included training its young members "for service in the class struggle"
and developing them for future membership in the YPSL.[2]

Divisions[edit]
The American Red Falcons had two divisions, the "Young Falcons" (sometimes called "Red
Sparks"), ages 8–11; and the "Red Falcons" proper, ages 11–15.[3] These groups were led by older
mentors recruited from the ranks of the Young People's Socialist League (YPSL).[4]

Structure[edit]
The Red Falcons were structured in a manner analogous to scouts and participating children wore
distinct uniforms. The basic unit of the Red Falcons was known as a "flight."[5] An auxiliary
organization of the SPA was established to organize and financially support these local flights,
known as Friends of Workers Children (FWC).[5] These FWC "clubs" were intended to gather
supportive parents, community trade unionists, teachers, and interested adults in order to "bolster up
the work of the local Falcon flight" through advice, financial aid, and publicity.[5]

The Red Falcons and Friends of Workers Children held a national convention in Cleveland, Ohio in
the spring of 1936 to better coordinate national activities.[5] It was at this time that the American
organization joined the International Falcon Movement, headquartered in Europe and associated
with the Socialist International.[6] National Secretary of the Red Falcons and Friends of Workers
Children in that year was Harry Fleischman.[5] The group maintained a headquarters office in
the Moxley Building in Chicago.[5]

The Red Falcons issued a monthly publication for its members called The Falcon Call.[1] In addition,
some of the local Falcon flights issued their own mimeographed bulletins.[7]

The Falcon organization attempted to emulate the Scouting movement by stressing outdoor and
athletic activities rather than structured lectures.[1]

Membership size[edit]
About seven months after the launch of the Red Falcons in America about 25 Red Falcon flights had
been organized with an estimated total membership of between 250 and 350.[1] The organization
apparently grew considerably during its first year, with a membership of "around 900" divided into 45
local groups claimed in the summer of

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