A major figure in the history of twentieth-century American radicalism, William Z. Foster (1881-1961) fought his way out of the slums of turn-of-the-century Philadelphia to become a professional revolutionary as well as a notorious and feared labor agitator. Drawing on private family papers, FBI files, and recently opened Russian archives, this fir
FORMAT Hardcover LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand NewA major figure in the history of twentieth-century American radicalism, William Z. Foster (1881-1961) fought his way out of the slums of turn-of-the-century Philadelphia to become a professional revolutionary as well as a notorious and feared labor agitator. Drawing on private family papers, FBI files, and recently opened Russian archives, this fir
"Edward Johanningsmeier's remarkable study makes clear that we can no longer dismiss William Z. Foster as a crude and stolid propagandist. The author offers us a new reading of a most complex life, which demonstrates a series of persistent themes in Foster's persona that closely link his life in the early syndicalist movement with his latterday experience as a World-War-I-era trade unionist and mid-twentieth century Communist. I found Johanningsmeier's close attention to Foster's use of language and metaphor wonderfully insightful--his book stands as a really useful application of the 'linguistic turn' in historical studies, one that genuinely widens our understanding of a man and his moment." --Nelson Lichtenstein, University of Virginia
List of Illustrations ix Preface to the Paperback Edition xi Acknowledgments xxi Note on Sources xxiii INTRODUCTION 3 CHAPTER 1 Beginnings 10 CHAPTER 2 Socialist and Syndicalist 31 CHAPTER 3 The Syndicalist Leagues 56 CHAPTER 4 Labor Organizing in "The jungle" 88 CHAPTER 5 The Great Steel Strike CHAPTER 6 Labor Organizer and Communist 150 CHAPTER 7 The "Free Lance" and the Communist Party 175 CHAPTER 8 "Phrases Learned in Europe" 214 CHAPTER 9 The Reluctant Agitator 249 CHAPTER 10 The Democratic Front 272 CHAPTER 11 "Browderism" 293 CHAPTER 12 Unionism, Politics, and the Cold War 314 CHAPTER 13 Final Struggles 333 EPILOGUE 353 Notes 355 Index 423
"Johanningsmeier has written a biography worthy of its subject. He has done so in large measure by drawing on newly available sources, including Foster's own papers, in Moscow... [He] provides a compelling portrait of [Foster's] career and personality. Anyone who would understand the history of the American Left should read this book."--Bruce Nelson, American Historical Review "This is a splendid book... [It] is a major work that frees Foster from the twin straight-jackets of hagiography and red-baiting. This book is vital to our understanding of the vicissitudes of U.S. communism and labor radicalism in the twentieth century."--Daniel J. Leab, The Historian "In the fall of 1919, William Z. Foster ... commanded national attention as the field general of the American Federation of Labor's ill-fated attempt to unionize the mightiest bastion of the open shop, the United States Steel corporation... [This] is a good and useful and lucidly written book."--Journal of American History "This book advances the historiography of communism in the United States considerably. Learned and reliable, it will be an important source for scholars for decades to come."--Bryan D. Palmer, Labour/Le Travail
A major figure in the history of twentieth-century American radicalism, William Z. Foster (1881-1961) fought his way out of the slums of turn-of-the-century Philadelphia to become a professional revolutionary as well as a notorious and feared labor agitator. Drawing on private family papers, FBI files, and recently opened Russian archives, this first full-scale biography traces Foster's early life as a world traveler, railroad worker, seaman, hobo, union activist, and radical journalist, and also probes the origins and implications of his ill-fated career as a top-echelon Communist official and three-time presidential candidate. Even though Foster's long and eventful life ended in Moscow, where he was given a state funeral in Red Square, he was, as portrayed here, a thoroughly American radical. The book not only reveals the circumstances of Foster's poverty-stricken childhood in Philadelphia, but also vividly describes his work and travels in the American West.Also included are fascinating accounts of his early political career as a Socialist, "Wobbly," and anarcho-syndicalist, and of his activities as the architect of giant organizing campaigns by the American Federation of Labor, involving hundreds of thousands of workers in the meatpacking and steel industries. The author views Foster's influence in the American Communist movement from the perspective of the history of American labor and unionism, but he also offers a realistic assessment of Foster's career in light of factional intrigues at the highest levels of the Communist International. Originally published in 1994. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
This is a splendid book.... [It] is a major work that frees Foster from the twin straight-jackets of hagiography and red-baiting. This book is vital to our understanding of the vicissitudes of U.S. communism and labor radicalism in the twentieth century. ---Daniel J. Leab, The Historian
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