Earl Browder
Earl Russell Browder was an influential American communist politician and activist, born on May 20, 1891, in Kansas. His political engagement began early when he joined the American Communist Party at just fifteen. Browder emerged as a vocal opponent of U.S. involvement in World War I, leading to his arrest for espionage in 1917, from which he was released two years later. He held significant positions within the Communist Party, becoming managing editor of the Labor Herald in 1921, and later serving as party chairman in 1932. Browder faced legal challenges, including a fourteen-month prison sentence in 1940 for passport violations. Following his release, he continued to lead the party, which was renamed the Communist Political Association in 1944. However, by 1946, he faced increasing scrutiny and was expelled from the organization. Browder's political journey culminated in a notable appearance before Senator Joseph McCarthy, where he was charged with contempt for not implicating others, although he was acquitted. He authored several works on communism and the Soviet Union, contributing to the discourse on political ideology during a tumultuous era in American history.
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Earl Browder
Communist Party Leader
- Born: May 20, 1891
- Birthplace: Wichita, Kansas
- Died: June 27, 1973
- Place of death: Princeton, New Jersey
Biography
Earl Russell Browder, a native of Kansas, was born on May 20, 1891. Politically active from a young age, Browder became involved in communist and socialist movements, joining the American Communist Party at age fifteen. An outspoken opponent of United States involvement in World War I, Browder was arrested and charged with espionage in 1917. He was released two years later.
In 1921, Browder became managing editor of the Communist Party newspaper, the Labor Herald. After serving as general secretary in 1930, he earned the highest position of the Communist Party in America, becoming party chairman in 1932.
In 1940, Browder was arrested and sent to prison for fourteen months, ostensibly for passport violations. Upon his release, he continued to lead the Communist Party, which was rechristened in 1944 as the Communist Political Association. By 1946, Browder had become the subject of international criticism and was expelled from the Communist Political Association.
Called before Joseph McCarthy to testify before the United States Senate regarding his knowledge of communism in America, Browder was charged with contempt for refusing to incriminate his comrades. He was later acquitted of the charges. Browder wrote numerous books and articles espousing his political views, including Earl Browder on the Soviet Union (1942) and “Is Communism a Menace? A Debate Between Earl Browder and George E. Sokolsky” (1943).