Reaching out to immigrants in May '68: specific or universal appeals

This chapter examines the kinds of demands made regarding immigrants during May-June 1968 against the broader context of the relationship between immigrants and the French Left during ‘the 1968 years’. Although many immigrant workers participated in the wider movement during May-June, notably in the general strike, the focus here is on actions either specifically by immigrants, or by those claiming to be acting on their behalf. During the events, immigrants to France were among those who used the exceptional circumstances to draw attention to their grievances. The Senegalese embassy was occupied to protest against the suppression of a revolt taking place simultaneously in Dakar. The Mauritanian embassy was occupied for similar reasons, following the shooting dead of several iron miners involved in a strike at Zouérate. Three organizations connected to the French State’s organization of migration from the Caribbean were also occupied. But rather than focusing on who participated in these and other actions, the primary concern here will be with their ideological nature. The analysis will also examine the many statements issued during the events by French organizations about immigrants. Many attempts were made, both by ‘Old’ and ‘New’ Lefts, to reach out to immigrant workers and denounce their exploitation. The issue here is to understand how these attempts were framed ideologically. © Julian Jackson, Anna-Louise Milne and James S. Williams 2011 and their respective authors 2011.