Prairie Fire (magazine)

Prairie Fire was an underground newspaper and later a theoretical journal published by the Weather Underground organization in the 1970s. It served as a platform for the Weather Underground to articulate their political ideology, analyze contemporary events, and outline strategies for revolutionary action.

The first issue of Prairie Fire, subtitled "A Political Statement of the Weather Underground," was published in 1974. It presented a synthesis of Marxist-Leninist theory, anti-imperialism, and solidarity with Third World liberation movements. The publication advocated for armed struggle against the United States government, which it viewed as a primary source of global oppression.

Subsequent issues of Prairie Fire delved deeper into specific topics, such as women's liberation, anti-racism, and the history of revolutionary movements. They also provided updates on the Weather Underground's activities and perspectives on political prisoners. The magazine was distributed through underground networks and radical bookstores.

The significance of Prairie Fire lies in its role as a key document of the New Left and its contribution to the theoretical development of revolutionary politics in the United States during the 1970s. It represents a specific articulation of anti-imperialist sentiment and a call for radical social change. Its influence, while debated, is acknowledged within scholarship concerning the Weather Underground and broader countercultural movements.