Farrell Dobbs

Farrell Dobbs was the son of a Missouri coal miner who moved his family to North Minneapolis when Farrell was a boy.

Dobbs graduated from North High a young conservative Republican who supported Herbert Hoover. His struggles as a worker, coming of age during the depression, changed all that.

He helped organize and execute the Minneapolis teamster strike of 1934. A violent and bloody affair, the dispute resulted in ending the days of Minneapolis being an open shop town.

Dobbs became friendly with Trotsky in Mexico shortly before Trotsky was assassinated (pictured above).

He was imprisoned in the '40's, as part of the Smith Act, for his opposition to WWII. The Smith Act:

"knowingly or willfully advocate, abet, advise, or teach the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing the Government of the United States or of any State by force or violence, or for anyone to organize any association which teaches, advises, or encourages such an overthrow, or for anyone to become a member of, or to affiliate with, any such association."

This Act was used to convict folks deep into the 1950's until it was deemed unconstitutional. As far as I know the act is still on the books. Dobbs served his time in Sandstone Prison during the last years of the War.

Afterward he continued to work for the Socialist Workers Party, travel, write and edit. He endorsed both Castro and Che Guevara. He died in 1983.