At conventions and leadership meetings in 1938-39, revolutionists in the U.S. codified some two decades of experience in building a communist party. Taking the name Socialist Workers Party, they reaffirmed the Marxist approach in the fight against the coming imperialist war, the march of fascism across Europe, the battle against Jew-hatred, support for Puerto Rican independence, defense of the conditions of workers and exploited farmers, and the need for a proletarian party based in workers districts and the industrial unions.