Dunne, William F.

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William Francis Dunne (1887-1953) was a labor organizer, politician, editor, and Communist Party activist for most of his life. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, he worked as an electrician and was active in various unions. He joined the Socialist Party in 1910. With the outbreak of World War II, Dunne worked in war related industries and shipyards. From 1944 until the beginning of 1946, he found work as a navy cook in the Aleutian Islands. (From a biographical sketch provided by the Tamiment Library in New York. The full version is available in the collection.)

From the description of William F. Dunne photograph collection, ca. 1944-1946. (University of Alaska, Fairbanks). WorldCat record id: 643126871

William Francis Dunne was a labor organizer, politician, editor, Socialist, and Communist Party activist and leader. Born in 1887, in 1916 Dunne moved to Butte, Montana where he was a leader of the Anaconda copper strike of 1917, edited the Butte Daily Bulletin, the organ of the Butte Central Labor Council, co-founded the Federated Press (a labor news service) and was elected to the State Legislature. In 1919 Dunne led a section of the Butte Socialist Party into the Communist League of America (later the CPUSA). Dunne was the national organizer for the Trade Union Unity League, organized national marches of the CPUSA-led Unemployed Councils, represented the CPUSA at the Communist International and served as an alternate member of its executive, travelling to the USSR and Mongolia, and became a member of the CPUSA's Political Bureau in 1929. A close associate of William Z. Foster, Dunne was critical of the political direction of the Party under the leadership of Earl Browder. By 1934 he was removed from national leadership, but continued to organize and write in the Pacific Northwest region. In 1946 Dunne was expelled from the Party. In 1951, two years before his death, Dunne helped found the James Connolly association, an Irish Republican organization.

From the description of Papers, 1914-1951. (New York University). WorldCat record id: 477232782

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Jefferson School of Social Science (New York, N.Y.). Records and indexes, 1931-1958 (bulk 1944-1955). Churchill County Museum
referencedIn Deportation Hearing Transcripts and Records, 1939-1941 Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Dunne, William F. Papers, 1914-1951. Churchill County Museum
referencedIn Dunne, Vincent R. (Vincent Raymond), 1889-1970. Papers [microform], 1929-1970. Wisconsin Historical Society Archives
creatorOf Dunne, William F. William F. Dunne photograph collection, ca. 1944-1946. University of Alaska Fairbanks, Elmer E. Rasmuson Library
referencedIn Rare Pamphlet Collection. Cornell University Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Communist Party of the United States of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Darcy, Samuel, 1905- person
associatedWith Dunne, Vincent R. (Vincent Raymond), 1889-1970. person
associatedWith Foster, William Z., 1881-1961. person
associatedWith Gold, Michael, 1894-1967. person
associatedWith Harry Renton Bridges 1901-1990 person
associatedWith Jefferson School of Social Science (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Keeney, Philip O. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Northwest, Pacific
Alaska--Aleutian Islands
Butte (Mont.)
Subject
Labor movement
Labor unions and communism
Military bases
Political crimes and offenses
Soldiers
Working class
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1887

Death 1953

Information

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