Bob Avakian
Robert Bruce Avakian (born March 7, 1943) is an American far-left political activist and Marxist writer who is the founder and chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (RCP).
Also recorded as Robert Avakian · Robert Bruce Avakian
Bob Avakian

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- Name
- Bob Avakian
- Birth Name
- Robert Bruce Avakian
- Born
- 7 March 1943
- Birthplace
- Washington D.C., U.S.
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- politician · autobiographer · writer · peace activist · human rights defender
- Languages
- English
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Robert Bruce Avakian (born March 7, 1943) is an American far-left political activist and Marxist writer who is the founder and chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (RCP).
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wikidata · Q355066 · wikipedia · Bob Avakian
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Bob Avakian • Office — Chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA • Term Start — 1975 • Predecessor — Position established • Birth Name — Robert Bruce Avakian • Born — 7 March 1943 • Birthplace — Washington D.C., U.S. • Party — Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (1975–present) • Other Party — Peace and Freedom Party (1960s)
Early life
Early life
Avakian was born on March 7, 1943, in Washington, D.C., to Ruth and Spurgeon "Sparky" Avakian. His father was an Armenian American lawyer, civil rights activist, and later as an Alameda County Superior Court judge. After spending his first three years in the Washington metropolitan area, he spent the rest of his childhood and adolescence in Berkeley, California.
Political activities
Political activities
As a student at UC Berkeley, Avakian became involved with Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the Free Speech Movement and the Black Panther Party. In 1968, he wrote articles for the Peace and Freedom Party's publications and in July 1969, he spoke at the Black Panther Party conference in Oakland, California. Avakian was a member of the SDS Revolutionary Youth Movement II faction, and ran as the RYM II candidate for National Secretary at the 1969 SDS National Convention. Avakian was defeated by Mark Rudd of the faction later known as the Weather Underground. During that period, Avakian was a founding member of the Bay Area Revolutionary Union alongside Leibel Bergman. In the early 1970s, Avakian served a prison sentence for desecrating the American flag during a demonstration. He was charged with assaulting a police officer in January 1979 at a demonstration in Washington, D.C. to protest Deng Xiaoping's meeting with Jimmy Carter. Facing numerous felony charges, Avakian went to France, where he applied for political refugee status. His claim was eventually denied but in 1982, U.S. prosecutors agreed to drop the charges against him and other protesters as part of a plea bargain. Avakian has been the RCP's central committee chairman and national leader since 1979. As chairman, he has produced a large body of work that articulates what the RCP identifies as "the new synthesis of communism" or "new communism". In 2016, the RCP USA and others helped form the organization Refuse Fascism, which called for Donald Trump's removal from office.
Identity
Identity
Bob Avakian is recorded with the occupation politician. Recorded with the occupation writer. Recorded as politician, autobiographer, writer, peace activist and human rights defender. Identity and origins. The authorities additionally record the headings Robert Avakian and Robert Bruce Avakian. His recorded language was English. His recorded confession was atheism.

The Revolutionary Communist Party and its chairman, Bob Avakian, are the target of the most vicious attack by the gov't since the '60s
Yanker Poster Collection · Library of Congress Catalog: https: Higher quality from Marxists.org scan of The Revolutionary Worker, April 24, 1981. This publication was also without copyright n

Bob Avakian in Paris, 1981. He stands at the Wall of the Communards, a place which holds an importance for communists.
Revolutionary Communist Party · Marxists.org scan of The Revolutionary Worker, March 20, 1981.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1943
Bob Avakian born at Washington, D.C..
2011
BAsics, from the talks and writings of Bob Avakian (2011) is digitised and catalogued by Internet Archive.
Criticism
Avakian has been criticized as the center of an alleged cult of personality within the RCP. Author Aaron J. Leonard, who worked with the RCP, identified Avakian's 1979 trial as a catalyst in the development of this supposed cult of personality. In 2016, former USLAW national coordinator Michael Eisenscher called the RCP "a cult around Avakian" in an interview with Harper's Magazine. In June 2022, a coalition of 23 abortion rights, feminist, and mutual-aid groups released a statement denouncing RCP and the affiliated abortion rights organization Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights, and calling the RCP a "cult." Avakian has noted that the RCP emphasizes "the great importance of the work I have done, and continue to do", but claims that criticism of his position within the RCP is "unscientific". The party has called any claims of cultism within its ranks "lies and slander".
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Bob Avakian”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q355066: Bob Avakian
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
authority file
- VIAF cluster 47915853 for Bob Avakian, aggregating national library name authorities.
General reference · OCLC
Citations
References
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Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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