LEWISTON – Jarvis Tyner, vicechairman of the Communist Party USA, spoke to a small crowd at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College Wednesday, addressing race, class and socialism, from the roots of slavery to the race for president.

“Racism and imperialism have always gone hand in hand,” he said. “This ruling class is quite expert in it.”

A civil rights and political activist, Tyner has campaigned against South African apartheid, fought against employment, housing and education discrimination and helped found the Black Radical Congress, an organization of African-American activists and scholars. He was the Communist Party USA’S vice-presidential candidate in 1976, on the ticket with Gus Hall in 1976.

Tyner was invited to Lewiston-Auburn College by the International Students Organization of Lewiston-Auburn as part of the group’s celebration of Black History Month.

For an hour Wednesday, Tyner spoke to just over a dozen faculty, staff, students and community members about his party, socialism, democracy and their connection to the fight for racial equality.

“Our fight for freedom as African Americans has never been a fight that we waged on our own. It’s always been a coalition fight and that is the only way that we have been able to win,” he said. “Not that we are weak, but that the interest of the nation as a whole was at stake around slavery. This wasn’t just a black issue. This was an issue of democracy.”

While he believes the fight for racial justice – and democracy – continues, he lauded “decent, honest politics of the common human people who shape this world,” no matter which party they’re from.

“I think the Barack (Obama) campaign has a lot of possibilities, and that’s why it is catching on. All across the country, it’s catching on. And he ain’t no communist. And some of the things he says I’m not even sure they’re all left,” he said. “But I’m telling you he has ignited a spirit in this country that will have a long-term effect on the democratic process in this country.”

Tyner also was scheduled to speak at Bates College in Lewiston on Wednesday and is expected to speak at the University of Maine at Orono and the University of Maine at Farmington later this week.