This paper explores the life of a Communist union leader. But his Communist Party affiliation made him a target and in 1940, US immigration authorities banned him and he was forced to resign the Presidency. Harold Pritchett: Communism and the International Woodworkers of America by Timothy KilgenĬanadian-born Harold Pritchett helped organize the International Woodworkers of America in the mid 1930s and became the first president of the huge timberworkers union. Although it folded in 1949, the school made an important impact on the labor culture of the region. But as the Cold War took shape, the school became a lightning rod for anti-Communist charge and attacks from the political right. The Pacific Northwest Labor School: Educating Seattle's Labor Left by Lucy Burnettįounded in 1946, the Labor School bought together left-wing union leaders, rank and file members, University of Washington academics, and community and religious organizers to promote labor and develop the intellectual skills of working people. Their efforts laid the groundwork for future civil rights activism in Seattle. During its seven years of activity, the Seattle CRC maintained an active voice of dissent in an era of Red Scare tactics and silence on the subject of civil rights. Still a presence in 2002, the Washington State Communist Party is maintained by a small and aging cadre of dedicated members who are also active in a variety of labor and social justice causes.Īdditional articles on the history of Communism in Washington State:Ĭommunist Civil Rights: The Seattle Civil Rights Congress, 1948-1955 by Lucy Burnettįrom 1948 to 1955, the Seattle Civil Rights Congress (CRC) provide legal defense and civil rights counsel to numerous Communist Party members and people of color while informing the public about civil rights. Ch9: Closing the Century - 1970-2002 by Marian Spath Ch8: A Partial Revival - The 1960s by Paul Landisįighting the laws and rules that kept Communists and former Communists from various jobs and that limited free speech on campuses and elsewhere, the Party made a modest comeback in the 1960s, participating in the antiwar movement and civil rights campaigns. Some members went to jail, some underground. The Red Scare devastated the Party and affiliated movements. Ch7: War and Red Scare - 1940-1960 by Stephanie Curwickįrom the Hitler-Stalin pact to the Soviet-U.S alliance of World War II to the Cold War Red Scare, shifting international alliances meant dramatic changes for those who supported Communism. During the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, the CP promoted union desegregation, public education about racial injustices, and legal support for civil rights activities. The CP was one of the first left groups to take up the issue of racism and civil rights in Washington State. Ch6: Race and Civil Rights - The 1930s and 1940s by Shelley Pinckney At first excluded from the WCF, CP activists moved into leadership roles after 1936 and saw the organization as one of its most successful popular front operations. The WCF endorsed candidates in primary races and served for a decade as the left wing of the Democratic Party. Ch5: The Washington Commonwealth Federation and Washington Pension Union by Jennifer Phipps Turning to union organizing in 1933, the CP played a role in the successful campaigns to build unions of longshore workers, timber workers, and others. Ch4: Organizing Unions - The 1930s and 1940s by Brian Grijalva In the early 1930s the Party attracted new members after it launched the Unemployed Councils and waged militant battles for relief assistance for the homeless and unemployed. The Depression brought challenges and opportunities. Ch2: Rough Beginnings - The 1920s by Daeha Koįounded in 1919, the Party faced severe repression and locked itself in sectarian battles with other left and labor groups during its first decade.Ĭh3: Organizing the Unemployed - The Early 1930s by Gordon Black History of the Communist Party of Washington State: Introduction by James GregoryĪn overview of the history of the Communist movement in Washington State, this essay introduces the nine chapter narrative history of Communism in Washington State. Then read the rest sequentially as chronological chapters or skip around. For a quick overview start with the timeline created by Marian Spath and Gordon Black. Here in nine chapters is the decade by decade story of the CP in one of the states where the party made its greatest impact. Historical accounts of the Communist Party in particular locales are rare. A Brief History of the Communist Party in Washington State 1919-2002
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