Forging American Communism: The Life of William Z. Foster

(Paperback, Revised edition)

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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

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"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