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William L. Patterson

February 16, 2024

William Lorenzo Patterson (August 27, 1891 – March 5, 1980) was an African-American leader in the Communist Party USA and head of the International Labor Defense, a group that offered legal representation to communists, trade unionists, and African Americans in cases involving issues of political or racial persecution.

Early life edit

William Lorenzo Patterson was born August 27, 1891, in San Francisco, California.[1] His father, James Edward Patterson, originally hailed from the island of St. Vincent, in the British West Indies.[1] His mother, Mary Galt Patterson, had been born a slave in the state of Virginia and was the daughter of the organizer of a volunteer regiment of black soldiers who fought with the Union Army during the American Civil War.[1]

Patterson's father was a Seventh-day Adventist missionary to Tahiti and he spent extensive time there, with the rest of the family moving between the California cities of Oakland and Mill Valley, where William attended public schools.[1]

In 1911, Patterson was the first African-American graduate of Tamalpais High School, in Mill Valley, California. In his yearbook, he stated an ambition "to be a second Booker T. Washington."[2] After his graduation, Patterson supported himself working as a laborer in railroad dining cars and on boats that worked the Pacific coast.[1] He saved up enough money to enter the University of California, Berkeley but was expelled during the years of World War I for his refusal to participate in compulsory military training.[1]

Deciding to set his sights on becoming a lawyer, Patterson entered the Hastings College of Law from which he graduated in 1919.[3] He failed the California State Bar Examination, however, and decided to pursue emigration to Liberia and took a job as a cook on a mail ship to England as a means to that end.[3] Patterson found his inquiries about Liberian emigration put off in England because of his lack of construction or practical craft skills. Determined to return to the United States, he landed in New York and gained employment as a longshoreman.[3]

Patterson was able to put his college degree to use by finding employment as a clerk in a law office, helping to write briefs, and studying to take the New York State Bar Examination, which he passed in 1924.[3] Meanwhile, he married his first wife, the former Minnie Summer, and made numerous personal acquaintances associated with the booming Harlem Renaissance.[3]

Political activism edit

Among Patterson's New York friends was the radical political activist Richard B. Moore, who persuaded Patterson to put his legal skills to work in the effort to prevent the execution of the Italian immigrant anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti, who were convicted of murder in a controversial and highly politicized Massachusetts trial.[3]

Patterson joined the Workers (Communist) Party and became head of the International Labor Defense, a communist legal advocacy organization.

On August 22, 1927, he was among the 156 persons arrested for protesting the execution of immigrants Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, both of whom were anarchists.[4]

Patterson was active in the Civil Rights Congress, which succeeded the ILD. In 1951 he presented the document We Charge Genocide to the United Nations that charged the US federal government with complicity in genocide for failing to pass legislation or prosecute persons responsible for lynching, most of whose victims were black men. After he returned from delivering the document in Paris, the United States Department of State revoked his passport and barred him from further travel abroad.[5]

He married Louise Thompson on September 3, 1940.[6] A writer, she had a long association with the poet Langston Hughes, and they collaborated on a proposal for a documentary about Harlem culture.

Death and legacy edit

At the age of 88, Patterson died in 1980 at Union Hospital, in the Bronx, following a prolonged illness.[7]

Patterson's papers, introduced by a five and a half page biography, are housed at Howard University.[8]

Bibliography edit

  • The Communist Position on the Negro Question. Contributor. New York: New Century Publishers, 1947.
  • We Demand Freedom. New York: Civil Rights Congress, 1951.
  • A People's Alternative to Mayor Wagner's Tax Program. New York: 1963.
  • Negro Liberation: A Goal for All Americans. New York: New Currents Publishers, 1964.
  • Ben Davis: Crusader for Negro Freedom and Socialism. New York: New Outlook Publishers, 1967.
  • In Honor of Paul Robeson: Excerpts of a Speech by William L. Patterson. New York: Communist Party USA, n.d. [1969].
  • Some Aspects of the Black Liberation Struggle: Two Lectures. With Claude Lightfoot. New York: Black Liberation Commission, CPUSA, n.d. [1969].
  • We Charge Genocide: The Historic Petition to the United Nations for Relief from a Crime of the United States Government against the Negro People. Editor. New York: International Publishers, 1970.
  • Four Score Years in Freedom's Fight: A Tribute to William L. Patterson on the Occasion of his 80th Birthday, Chicago, Illinois, October 22, 1971. Contributor, with Claude Lightfoot. New York: New Outlook Publishers, 1972.
  • The Man Who Cried Genocide: An Autobiography. New York: International Publishers, 1971.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f Staff, "Biography," Finding Aid to the William Patterson Papers, Manuscript Division, Howard University, 2015; pg. 2.
  2. ^ Tamalpais Graduate, 1911, Tamalpais Union High School, Mill Valley, California
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Biography," Finding Aid to the William Patterson Papers, pg. 3.
  4. ^ . Time Magazine. September 5, 1927. Archived from the original on July 27, 2009. Retrieved October 12, 2008. For "sauntering and loitering" in front of the State House in Boston, 156 men and women were arraigned, found guilty. All but six were fined $5 and paid the fine. The others— Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet; Ellen Hayes, retired Wellesley College professor; John Howard Lawson, playwright; William Patterson, Negro lawyer; Ela Reeve Bloor and Catherine Huntington, liberal gentlewomen—were fined $10.
  5. ^ Glenn, Susan A. ""We Charge Genocide": The 1951 Black Lives Matter Campaign". University of Washington Civil Rights and Labor History Consortium. University of Washington. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  6. ^ Gilyard _Louise Thompson Patterson_, 143
  7. ^ Les Ledbetter, "William Patterson, Lawyer, Dead at 89. Activist Fought for Black Causes. Joined With Paul Robeson in Accusing U.S. at U.N. Opened Harlem Law Office," New York Times, March 7, 1980.
  8. ^ Finding Aid to the William Patterson Papers, Manuscript Division, Howard University, Oct. 1, 2015

Further reading edit

  • Walter T. Howard, We Shall Be Free!: Black Communist Protests in Seven Voices. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 2013.

External links edit

February 16, 2024
william, patterson, william, lorenzo, patterson, august, 1891, march, 1980, african, american, leader, communist, party, head, international, labor, defense, group, that, offered, legal, representation, communists, trade, unionists, african, americans, cases, . William Lorenzo Patterson August 27 1891 March 5 1980 was an African American leader in the Communist Party USA and head of the International Labor Defense a group that offered legal representation to communists trade unionists and African Americans in cases involving issues of political or racial persecution Contents 1 Early life 2 Political activism 3 Death and legacy 4 Bibliography 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksEarly life editWilliam Lorenzo Patterson was born August 27 1891 in San Francisco California 1 His father James Edward Patterson originally hailed from the island of St Vincent in the British West Indies 1 His mother Mary Galt Patterson had been born a slave in the state of Virginia and was the daughter of the organizer of a volunteer regiment of black soldiers who fought with the Union Army during the American Civil War 1 Patterson s father was a Seventh day Adventist missionary to Tahiti and he spent extensive time there with the rest of the family moving between the California cities of Oakland and Mill Valley where William attended public schools 1 In 1911 Patterson was the first African American graduate of Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley California In his yearbook he stated an ambition to be a second Booker T Washington 2 After his graduation Patterson supported himself working as a laborer in railroad dining cars and on boats that worked the Pacific coast 1 He saved up enough money to enter the University of California Berkeley but was expelled during the years of World War I for his refusal to participate in compulsory military training 1 Deciding to set his sights on becoming a lawyer Patterson entered the Hastings College of Law from which he graduated in 1919 3 He failed the California State Bar Examination however and decided to pursue emigration to Liberia and took a job as a cook on a mail ship to England as a means to that end 3 Patterson found his inquiries about Liberian emigration put off in England because of his lack of construction or practical craft skills Determined to return to the United States he landed in New York and gained employment as a longshoreman 3 Patterson was able to put his college degree to use by finding employment as a clerk in a law office helping to write briefs and studying to take the New York State Bar Examination which he passed in 1924 3 Meanwhile he married his first wife the former Minnie Summer and made numerous personal acquaintances associated with the booming Harlem Renaissance 3 Political activism editAmong Patterson s New York friends was the radical political activist Richard B Moore who persuaded Patterson to put his legal skills to work in the effort to prevent the execution of the Italian immigrant anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti who were convicted of murder in a controversial and highly politicized Massachusetts trial 3 Patterson joined the Workers Communist Party and became head of the International Labor Defense a communist legal advocacy organization On August 22 1927 he was among the 156 persons arrested for protesting the execution of immigrants Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti both of whom were anarchists 4 Patterson was active in the Civil Rights Congress which succeeded the ILD In 1951 he presented the document We Charge Genocide to the United Nations that charged the US federal government with complicity in genocide for failing to pass legislation or prosecute persons responsible for lynching most of whose victims were black men After he returned from delivering the document in Paris the United States Department of State revoked his passport and barred him from further travel abroad 5 He married Louise Thompson on September 3 1940 6 A writer she had a long association with the poet Langston Hughes and they collaborated on a proposal for a documentary about Harlem culture Death and legacy editAt the age of 88 Patterson died in 1980 at Union Hospital in the Bronx following a prolonged illness 7 Patterson s papers introduced by a five and a half page biography are housed at Howard University 8 Bibliography editThe Communist Position on the Negro Question Contributor New York New Century Publishers 1947 We Demand Freedom New York Civil Rights Congress 1951 A People s Alternative to Mayor Wagner s Tax Program New York 1963 Negro Liberation A Goal for All Americans New York New Currents Publishers 1964 Ben Davis Crusader for Negro Freedom and Socialism New York New Outlook Publishers 1967 In Honor of Paul Robeson Excerpts of a Speech by William L Patterson New York Communist Party USA n d 1969 Some Aspects of the Black Liberation Struggle Two Lectures With Claude Lightfoot New York Black Liberation Commission CPUSA n d 1969 We Charge Genocide The Historic Petition to the United Nations for Relief from a Crime of the United States Government against the Negro People Editor New York International Publishers 1970 Four Score Years in Freedom s Fight A Tribute to William L Patterson on the Occasion of his 80th Birthday Chicago Illinois October 22 1971 Contributor with Claude Lightfoot New York New Outlook Publishers 1972 The Man Who Cried Genocide An Autobiography New York International Publishers 1971 References edit a b c d e f Staff Biography Finding Aid to the William Patterson Papers Manuscript Division Howard University 2015 pg 2 Tamalpais Graduate 1911 Tamalpais Union High School Mill Valley California a b c d e f Biography Finding Aid to the William Patterson Papers pg 3 Sacco Aftermath Time Magazine September 5 1927 Archived from the original on July 27 2009 Retrieved October 12 2008 For sauntering and loitering in front of the State House in Boston 156 men and women were arraigned found guilty All but six were fined 5 and paid the fine The others Edna St Vincent Millay poet Ellen Hayes retired Wellesley College professor John Howard Lawson playwright William Patterson Negro lawyer Ela Reeve Bloor and Catherine Huntington liberal gentlewomen were fined 10 Glenn Susan A We Charge Genocide The 1951 Black Lives Matter Campaign University of Washington Civil Rights and Labor History Consortium University of Washington Retrieved August 25 2022 Gilyard Louise Thompson Patterson 143 Les Ledbetter William Patterson Lawyer Dead at 89 Activist Fought for Black Causes Joined With Paul Robeson in Accusing U S at U N Opened Harlem Law Office New York Times March 7 1980 Finding Aid to the William Patterson Papers Manuscript Division Howard University Oct 1 2015Further reading editWalter T Howard We Shall Be Free Black Communist Protests in Seven Voices Philadelphia PA Temple University Press 2013 External links editWorks by or about William L Patterson at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William L Patterson amp oldid 1170248035, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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