Earl George
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Earl George was a leader in the Communist Party and International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Civil Rights activist, and photographer from Seattle.
Earl George | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1894 |
| Died | 1985 |
| Organization | International Longshore and Warehouse Union |
| Political party | Communist Party USA |
| Movement | Labor movement, Civil Rights movement |
| Spouse | Vivian George |
Biography
Earl George was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1894. George stated that being Black in the US radicalized him at an early age. He was also influenced by the violent Colorado miners' strikes. In 1917, George was drafted into the US Army for World War I and sent to Fort Lewis in Washington. He remained in Seattle and participated in the Seattle General Strike in 1919.[1][2][3][4] When recalling the Seattle General Strike, George famously said "nothing moved but the tide."[3][5][6]
Racist hiring practices and racism in unions made many jobs unavailable for African Americans like George. In the 1920's and 1930's, George worked low-paying non-union jobs in the service sector and then became a ship steward. During this time, he joined the Industrial Workers of the World. He later joined the Communist Party. During the Great Depression, George was involved in the Unemployed Citizens' League, Workers' Alliance, Washington Commonwealth Federation, and Washington Pension Union.[1][4]
In 1938, George took a job working in a warehouse and joined ILWU Local 9.[1][2][4][7] He worked actively in the labor movement to promote racial equality. Although the ILWU preached nondiscrimination, Black workers and workers of color were often excluded from leadership positions. George worked with the Communist Party faction of the ILWU to address these inequalities.[7] He was elected president of Local 9 in 1949, making him the first Black president of an ILWU local.[1][2][4][8] While serving as president, George worked with ILWU regional director Bill Chester to establish the National Negro Labor Council and campaigned to push unions to organize Black workers.[1][4]
Like many other activists at the time, George faced vicious redbaiting. In the early 1950's, George was subpoenaed to appear before the House Unamerican Activities Committee, where he invoked the fifth amendment and declined to answer most questions.[1][9]
George was active in the Civil Rights Movement in Seattle in the 1960's. In 1966, he helped organized the Seattle School Boycott to protest segregation. During this time, he became a well-known photographer and was hired by the ILWU to take photographs for The Dispatcher. His images also appeared in the Communist Party newspaper People's World.[1][2][4]
George retired in 1961 and became active with the Pacific Coast Pensioners Association, holding various leadership positions in the Seattle chapter. He died in 1985 in Seattle.
Further Reading
- Earl George papers and photographs, 1930-2008. 1.04 cubic feet. At the Labor Archives of Washington, University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
- Lonnie Nelson papers, 1916-2014. 4.29 cubic feet. At the Labor Archives of Washington, University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Earl George papers and photographs - Archives West". archiveswest.orbiscascade.org. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
- ^ a b c d "Who's Who in the Communist Party of Washington State - Communism in Washington State History Project". depts.washington.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
- ^ a b "The Black Community". Solidarity Centennial. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
- ^ a b c d e f admin (2011-05-20). "Earl George, Civil Rights crusader from ILWU Local 9". ILWU. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
- ^ "When Workers Stopped Seattle". jacobin.com. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
- ^ Gallo-Brown, Alex. "What the Seattle General Strike can teach workers today | Opinion". crosscut.com. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
- ^ a b "Race and Civil Rights: the 30's and 40's - Communism in Washington State History Project". depts.washington.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
- ^ Winslow, Cal (2020-02-25). Radical Seattle: The General Strike of 1919. NYU Press. ISBN 978-1-58367-852-7.
- ^ Activities, United States Congress House Committee on Un-American (1955). Investigation of Communist Activities in the Seattle, Wash., Area: Hearings Before the Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, Eighty-fourth Congress, First Session ... U.S. Government Printing Office.