U.S. towns electing Socialist
mayors or major officers,
1911–1920
Year No. Year No.
1911 74 1912 8
1913 32 1914 5
1915 22 1916 6
1917 18 1918 2
1919 5 1920 2
Source: James Weinstein, 1967 [1]

The following is a list of mayors who have declared themselves to be socialists or have been a member of a socialist party in the United States.

In 1911 it was estimated that there were twenty-eight such mayors[2] and in 1913 thirty-four.[3] In 1967, however, James Weinstein's table of "Cities and Towns Electing Socialist Mayors or Other Major Municipal Officers, 1911–1920" counted 74 such municipalities in 1911 and 32 in 1913, with smaller peaks in 1915 (22) and 1917 (18).[1]

List of mayors

Mayor Term
start 		Term
end 		City State   Party Ref
Eduardo Martinez 2023 Current Richmond California Democratic Party (DSA member) [4]
Konstantine Anthony 2022 Current Burbank California Democratic Party (DSA member) [5]
khalid Kamau[a] 2022 Current South Fulton Georgia Democratic Party (DSA member[7] and WFP endorsed) [8][9][10]
Chokwe Antar Lumumba[b] 2017 Current Jackson Mississippi Democratic Party, self-described socialist [11]
Chokwe Lumumba 2013 2014 Jackson Mississippi Democratic Party, self-described socialist [12]
Ethan Strimling 2015 2019 Portland Maine Democratic Party (DSA member) [13]
Ron Dellums 2007 2011 Oakland California Democratic Party (DSA member) [14]
Bob Kiss 2006 2012 Burlington Vermont Vermont Progressive Party
Peter Clavelle 1995
1989 		2006
1993 		Burlington Vermont Vermont Progressive Party then Democratic Party[c]
James Scheibel 1990 1994 Saint Paul Minnesota Democratic Party (DSA member) [15]
David Dinkins 1990 1993 New York City New York Democratic Party (DSA member) [16]
Benjamin Nichols 1989 1995 Ithaca New York Democratic Party (DSA member) [17]
Bernie Sanders 1981 1989 Burlington Vermont Independent [18]
Gus Newport 1979 1986 Berkeley California Berkeley Citizens Action [19]
David Belgum 1976 1987 University Heights Iowa Socialist Party of America [20]
Frank P. Zeidler 1948 1960 Milwaukee Wisconsin Socialist Party of America
Irving Freese 1947 1951 Norwalk Connecticut Socialist Party of America [21][22]
J. Henry Stump 1943
1935
1927 		1947
1939
1931 		Reading Pennsylvania Socialist Party of America
C. Henry Bloom 1933 1953 Rockford Illinois Rockford Progressive Party[d] [25][24]
Jasper McLevy 1933 1957 Bridgeport Connecticut Socialist Party of America
William Swoboda 1931 1932 Racine Wisconsin Socialist Party of America [26][27]
Fred W. Suitor 1929 1931 Barre Vermont Socialist Party of America [28]
Robert A. Bakeman 1925 1929 Peabody Massachusetts Non-partisan election but a member of the Socialist Party of America [29][30]
James B. Furber 1922 Rahway New Jersey Socialist Party of America [31]
J. Herman Hallstrom 1921
1929 		1927
1933 		Rockford Illinois Rockford Labor Legion
Independent[e] 		[24]
C.L. Barewald 1920 1922 Davenport Iowa Socialist Party of America[f] [32]
Parkman B. Flanders 1920
1903 		1923
1904 		Haverhill Massachusetts Socialist Party of America [33][34]
John H. Gibbons 1919 Lackawanna New York Socialist Party of America [35]
Frank B. Hamilton 1918 Piqua Ohio Socialist Party of America [36]
Major Church 1918 1921 Eureka Utah Socialist Party of America [37]
Thomas Van Lear 1917 1919 Minneapolis Minnesota Public Ownership Party[g] [38]
David Love 1916 West Allis Wisconsin Socialist Party of America [39]
Daniel Webster Hoan 1916 1940 Milwaukee Wisconsin Socialist Party of America
Robert Gordon 1916 1917 Barre Vermont Socialist Party of America [28]
Ernst Gottfrid Strand 1916 1917 Two Harbors Minnesota Socialist Party of America [40]
George R. Lunn 1915
1911 		1917
1913 		Schenectady New York Socialist Party of America [41]
Henry M. Schutte 1915 Adamston West Virginia Socialist Party of America
Elijah Falk 1915 1919 Eureka California Socialist Party of America [42]
Eugene Bootz 1914 1915 Edgewater Colorado Socialist Party of America [42]
James Love 1914 1916 Lake Worth Florida Socialist Party of America [43]
A. W. Vincent 1914 1915 St. Johns Oregon Socialist Party of America [44]
A. Barton Cross 1913 1914 Naugatuck Connecticut Socialist Party of America [42]
Seth Wood 1913 1914 Lafayette Colorado Socialist Party of America [42]
N. L. Larson 1912 1913 Crookston Minnesota Socialist Party of America [45]
Thomas M. Fluhart 1912 Linden Heights Ohio Socialist Party of America [46]
J.M. Haley 1912 1916 Paonia Colorado Socialist Party of America [42]
George A. Huscher 1912 1915 Murray Utah Socialist Party of America [47][48]
J.F. Johnston 1912 1914 Fairhope Alabama Socialist Party of America [49][50]
Walter V. Tyler 1912 1915 New Castle Pennsylvania Socialist Party of America [51]
George Urie 1912 1913 Cedar City Utah Socialist Party of America [52]
Joseph Warnock 1912 Harbor Springs Michigan Socialist Party of America [53]
Scott Wilkins 1912 1913 St. Marys Ohio Socialist Party of America [54]
Thomas W. Pape 1912 Lorain Ohio Socialist Party of America [46]
Alfred A. Perrin 1912 1913 Mount Vernon Ohio Socialist Party of America [46]
Corbin Shook 1912 Lima Ohio Socialist Party of America [46]
Peter Stewart 1912 1914 Hartford Arkansas Socialist Party of America [55][56]
Henry Stolze, Jr. 1911 Manitowoc Wisconsin Socialist Party of America [57]
Edward Mauck 1911 Wymore Nebraska Socialist Party of America [57]
John A. C. Menton 1911 1912 Flint Michigan Socialist Party of America [58][57]
Robert Murray 1911 1915 Toronto Ohio Socialist Party of America
E.E. Robinson 1911 1913 Mineral Ridge Ohio Socialist Party of America
William Shay 1911 1917 Star City West Virginia Socialist Party of America
Jackson Stitt Wilson 1911 1913 Berkeley California Socialist Party of America [57]
John T. Wood 1911 1913 Coeur d'Alène Idaho Socialist Party of America [59]
James Larson 1911 Marinette Wisconsin Socialist Party of America [57]
M.E. Kirkpatrick 1911 Granite City Illinois Socialist Party of America [60]
H.P. Houghton 1911 Girard Kansas Socialist Party of America [57]
W.E. Griffin 1911   Beatrice Nebraska Socialist Party of America [57]
Alexander Halliday 1911 Two Harbors Minnesota Socialist Party of America [61]
Edward Foe 1911 Red Cloud Nebraska Socialist Party of America [62]
W. H. Cook 1911 Edmonds Washington Socialist Party of America [63]
John Dobler 1911 1913 Gulfport Florida Socialist Party of America [43]
Louis J. Duncan[h] 1911 1914 Butte Montana Socialist Party of America [57][66]
J.B. Bitterly 1911 1915 Victor Colorado Socialist Party of America [42]
Albert B. Thomas 1911 Greenville Michigan Socialist Party of America [67]
William Thum 1911 1913 Pasadena California Socialist Party of America [57][42]
Emil Seidel 1910 1912 Milwaukee Wisconsin Socialist Party of America [68]
Ewell Work 1910 1912 Ledford Illinois Socialist Party of America [69]
Arthur LeSueur 1910 1911 Minot North Dakota Socialist Party of America [70]
A. Ousdahl 1909 1910 Brainerd Minnesota Socialist Party of America [71]
Thomas M. Todd 1909 1914 Grand Junction Colorado Socialist Party of America [42]
Andrew Mitchell 1908 Eureka Utah Socialist Party of America [72]
Daniel T. Leigh 1906 1907 Cedar City Utah Socialist Party of America [52]
Brand Whitlock 1906 1912 Toledo Ohio Socialist Party of America [73]
Ray Austin 1905 1906 Red Lodge Montana Socialist Party of America [74][75]
John Frinke 1903 Anaconda Montana Socialist Party of America [76]
Charles A. Born 1903 1904 Sheboygan Wisconsin Socialist Party of America [77][78]
Charles H. Coulter 1900 1901 Brockton Massachusetts Socialist Party of America[i] [80][81]
John C. Chase 1899
1898 		1900
1899 		Haverhill Massachusetts Socialist Party of America[i] [82][81]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ kamau uses lowercase letters for his names.[6]
  2. ^ Son of the previous socialist mayor, Chokwe Lumumba
  3. ^ Clavelle became a member of the Democratic Party in 2004.
  4. ^ Bloom ran for the Rockford Progressive Party, which was formed by dissidents of the Rockford Labor Party in 1929.[23][24]
  5. ^ Hallstrom ran for the Rockford Labor Legion from 1921–1927, in 1929 the Labor Party refused to nominate him on the grounds that he had moved from some of the party's principles. He ran as an independent from 1929-33.[24] The Rockford Labor Legion was a coalition of local trade unions, socialist organizations and temperance societies.[24]
  6. ^ Barewald resigned from the Socialist Party during the first week of January 1921 and captured national headlines by declaring radicals "insane" and instructing local police to greet unwanted members of the Industrial Workers of the World with "hot lead." See: "Wants Town Rid of IWW: Mayor Barewald Advises Use of Riot Guns," Eugene Morning Register, Jan. 9, 1921, pg. 1.
  7. ^ Van Lear was expelled from the Socialist Party of America in 1918.
  8. ^ Louis Duncan's name is alternatively spelled Lewis Duncan.[64][65]
  9. ^ a b Chase and Coulter were both elected mayor for the Social Democratic Party, but the party later merged itself with a dissident faction of the Socialist Labor Party in 1901 and founded the Socialist Party of America.[79] The Socialist Party of America was then named the Social Democratic Party of America.

References

  1. ^ a b Weinstein, James (1967). The Decline of Socialism in America 1912–1925. New York: Monthly Review Press, reprinted in 1969 by Vintage Books (Random House), Table 2: "Cities and Towns Electing Socialist Mayors or Other Major Municipal Officers, 1911–1920", pp. 116–118.
  2. ^ Hoxie, Robert F. (October 1911). ""The Rising Tide of Socialism": A Study". The Journal of Political Economy. 19 (8): 609–631. doi:10.1086/251906. JSTOR 1819423. S2CID 153532544.
  3. ^ Ghent, W.J., ed. (1916). Socialism and Government: Working Programs and Records of Socialists in Office. Girard, KS: Appeal to Reason. pp. 46. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  4. ^ Chapnick, Max (2021-07-13). "Sidewalk Socialists and the Path to Power". Current Affairs. ISSN 2471-2647. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
  5. ^ "Why I'm Running". Konstantine Anthony for LA County Supervisor. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
  6. ^ kamau, khalid. "Khalid for South Fulton, GA". Archived from the original on January 10, 2017.
  7. ^ Heins, Scott (January 14, 2020). "'Capitalism Won't Save Black People': An Interview With khalid kamau". Jacobin. Archived from the original on September 16, 2022.
  8. ^ "New South Fulton mayor hopes to further reduce crime, create economic opportunity". 11Alive.com. 2022-01-05. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  9. ^ "Mayor khalid kamau is embracing South Fulton's identity as the Blackest city in America". WABE. 2022-04-13. Retrieved 2022-04-20.
  10. ^ Marans, Daniel (April 19, 2017). "Sanders-Backing Socialist Wins Big In Georgia City Council Race". HuffPost. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  11. ^ Gilbert, Katie (September 5, 2017). "The Socialist Experiment". Oxford American. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
  12. ^ Sunkara, Bhaskar (2014-06-01). "Free the Land: An Interview with Chokwe Lumumba". Jacobin. Retrieved 2017-04-09. But he was quick to portray his movement as an inclusive socialist one.
  13. ^ Abramsky, Sasha (2023-11-15). "The People's Republic of Portland, Maine". The Nation. ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2023-12-07. For Strimling, though, the loss turned out to be liberating, allowing him to push for radical policy reforms from the grassroots up rather than the City Council down. No longer constrained by the dysfunctional city government, the ex-mayor threw in his lot with members of the local DSA branch and took his ideas about housing reform directly to the people.
  14. ^ Judis, John (November 1976). "Our Democracy Is More Symbolic Than Real: An Interview With Ron Dellums". Jacobin. Archived from the original on July 17, 2022.
  15. ^ Democratic Left, vol. 8 no. 1 (January 1990), page 7.
  16. ^ "Remembering David Dinkins". Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  17. ^ Steele, Bill (November 26, 2007). "Ben Nichols, professor emeritus, former mayor of Ithaca and lifelong activist, dies at 87". Cornell Chronicle. Cornell University.
  18. ^ Lerer, Lisa (2009-07-16). "Where's the outrage over AIG bonuses?". The Politico. Retrieved 2009-08-04. Only a handful of members, including self-described democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), criticized Goldman's payments and questioned whether the company also received additional government assistance through the Federal Reserve.
  19. ^ Democratic Left Editorial Team (Fall 1999). "Millenium Issue #1" (PDF). Democratic Left. Democratic Socialists of America. p. 26. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  20. ^ Belgum, David Rudolph (1990). Memoirs of Iowa's Only Socialist Mayor. Iowa City: Rose of Sharon Publishing House.
  21. ^ "Socialists Sweep Norwalk Election; Party's Candidates for Mayor, Sheriff, Treasurer, and 11 for City Council Win". The New York Times. October 7, 1947. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  22. ^ "Freese Quits Socialists In Norwalk: Mayor Heads Party of Independents for November Election," Hartford Courant, August 14, 1951. Freese ran again for office as an independent, winning additional two year terms in 1951, 1953, and 1957. See: Ross, The Socialist Party of America, pg. 612.
  23. ^ Nelson 1968, pp. 102.
  24. ^ a b c d e Bengston 1999, pp. 209.
  25. ^ Hal Nelson 1968, pp. 102.
  26. ^ "Socialist Mayor Resigns from Party". Reading Eagle. April 9, 1932. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  27. ^ "'Fruits of Victory' Suit Fruit-Selling Mayor-Elect". Milwaukee Sentinel. April 9, 1931. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  28. ^ a b Fry, Amy Lyons (2003). "Socialist Mayors". In John J. Duffy; Samuel B. Hand; Ralph H. Orth (eds.). The Vermont Encyclopedia. University of Vermont Press. p. 274.
  29. ^ "Associate Pastor of Mayor's Church". The Boston Globe. February 25, 1912.
  30. ^ Hoyt, Carlyle (December 4, 1924). "Minister-Mayor Has Novel Ideas". The Boston Globe.
  31. ^ "A Socialist Mayor: New Jersey Socialists Carry Rahway," The New Age (Buffalo), June 1, 1922, pg. 5.
  32. ^ "Socialists Elected," San Bernardino County Sun, April 4, 1920, pg. 3.
  33. ^ Arrington 1922, pp. 487.
  34. ^ "Address of a Socialist Mayor," American Labor Union Journal, vol. 1, no. 26 (April 2, 1903), pg. 2
  35. ^ "Elect Socialist Mayor" (PDF). The New York Times. November 5, 1919. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  36. ^ "Socialist Mayor Frank B. Hamilton" was embroiled in a federal sedition case late in 1918. See: Ohio Socialist, whole no. 49 (Jan. 1, 1919), pp. 1, 4. He was elected in Nov. 1917, according to "Frank B. Hamilton," Archived 2014-03-12 at the Wayback Machine Miami County Genealogical Researchers, http://www.thetroyhistoricalsociety.org/
  37. ^ John S. McCormick and John R. Sillito, A History of Utah Radicalism: Startling, Socialistic, and Decidedly Revolutionary. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, 2011; pg. 192.
  38. ^ "Socialist Mayor Talks for Hillquit" (PDF). The New York Times. November 5, 1917. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  39. ^ Love was elected by a margin of 164 votes in the April 1916 election. "About the Milwaukee Election: Socialists Elect Mayor and Two Socialist Aldermen in West Allis," St. Louis Labor, whole no. 794 (April 22, 1916), pg. 8.
  40. ^ Bengston 1999, pp. 182.
  41. ^ "Democrats Fail in Hunt for Candidate" (PDF). The New York Times. July 6, 1918. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  42. ^ a b c d e f g h Ross, The Socialist Party of America, pg. 610.
  43. ^ a b Ross, The Socialist Party of America, pg. 612.
  44. ^ Michael Munk, "Socialist Party of Oregon," The Oregon Encyclopedia.
  45. ^ "Elections Bring Victory!!" Social Democratic Herald [Milwaukee], vo. 14, no. 28, whole no. 693 (Nov. 11, 1911), p. 1.
  46. ^ a b c d "1,000 Socialists Now in Office," Chicago Daily Socialist, vol. 6, no. 33 (Dec. 2, 1911), p. 1.
  47. ^ Ann Arbor Call, whole no. 91 (August 17, 1912), pg. 2.
  48. ^ Elected to two terms, 1911 and 1913. See: John S. McCormick and John R. Sillito, A History of Utah Radicalism, pg. 201.
  49. ^ Ross, The Socialist Party of America, pg. 609.
  50. ^ "Socialist Mayor Chosen" (PDF). The New York Times. September 18, 1912. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  51. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-12-04. Retrieved 2019-12-01.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  52. ^ a b John S. McCormick and John R. Sillito, A History of Utah Radicalism, pg. 189.
  53. ^ A.R. Pontius, "Victory in Michigan," Appeal to Reason, whole no. 851 (March 23, 1912), p. 3.
  54. ^ "Comrades Who Will Control the City Government of St. Marys Ohio for the Next Two Years," International Socialist Review, vol. 12, no. 6 (Dec. 1911), pp. 376-378.
  55. ^ "Socialist Mayor Defeated". The Los Angeles Times. April 9, 1914. Retrieved February 5, 2010. (pay-fee for article)
  56. ^ "Arkansas Socialist Mayor" (PDF). The New York Times. April 4, 1912. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  57. ^ a b c d e f g h i "The Socialist Avalanche," Political Action [Milwaukee], whole no. 39 (April 15, 1911), pg. 1.
  58. ^ "Socialist Mayor Defeated" (PDF). The New York Times. April 2, 1912. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  59. ^ French 1914, pp. 917.
  60. ^ Oscar Leonard, "From Mill Hand to Mayor," The Coming Nation, whole no. 37 (April 23, 1911), p. 14.
  61. ^ "Socialists Elect Mayor of Two Harbors, Minn.," Chicago Daily Socialist, vol. 5, no. 126 (March 23, 1911), p. 1.
  62. ^ Political Action [Milwaukee], whole no. 39 (April 15, 1911), pg. 1.
  63. ^ "Edmonds and Its Socialist Mayor," The Coming Nation, whole no. 34 (May 6, 1911), p. 5.
  64. ^ "One Man is Killed in Rioting and Million Damage". The New York Times. June 24, 1914. Retrieved February 5, 2010.[permanent dead link]
  65. ^ "Butte Mayor is Stabbed by Miner". The New York Times. July 6, 1914. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  66. ^ "Butte Mayor and Sheriff Ousted". Herald Journal. October 7, 1914. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  67. ^ "Socialists in Greenville," The Coming Nation, whole no. 35 (May 13, 1911), p. 11.
  68. ^ "Socialist Mayor for Milwaukee" (PDF). The New York Times. April 6, 1910. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
  69. ^ "Elect Mayor as Socialist," Chicago Daily Socialist, vol. 4, no. 156 (April 27, 1910), pg. 4.
  70. ^ LeSueur was elected on a ballot which did not list party affiliation but he was a veteran Socialist nominated to run by Local Grand Forks. See: Mila Tupper Maynard, "A Socialist Mayor and an Almost Mayor," Social-Democratic Herald [Milwaukee], vol. 13, no. 35, whole no. 648 (Dec. 31, 1910), pg. 2.
  71. ^ "Brainerd, Minn., Elects Socialist Mayor," St. Louis Labor, vol. 6, whole no. 429 (April 24, 1909), pg. 5.
  72. ^ John S. McCormick and John R. Sillito, A History of Utah Radicalism, pg. 190.
  73. ^ Won 4th term in Nov. 1911 according to "Elections Bring Victory!!" Social Democratic Herald [Milwaukee], vo. 14, no. 28, whole no. 693 (Nov. 11, 1911), p. 1.
  74. ^ "Deadly Assault on Socialist Mayor," Chicago Daily Socialist, Dec. 17, 1906, pg. 3.
  75. ^ Ross 2015, p. 619.
  76. ^ Peter Buckingham, "Red Tom" Hickey: The Uncrowned King of Texas Socialism. College Station, TX: Texas A&M Press, 2020; p. 153
  77. ^ "Socialist Mayor Assumes Office: The Inauguration of Mayor Born at Sheboygan Marks the First Municipal Victory for Socialism in Wisconsin," Social Democratic Herald [Milwaukee], April 25, 1903, pg. 1.
  78. ^ Expelled by State Executive Board of the Social Democratic Party of Wisconsin on Jan. 16, 1904, for approving a private concession for a city trolley line. See: "The Expulsion of Mayor Born," Social Democratic Herald, Jan. 23, 1904, pg.5.
  79. ^ Bedford 1966, pp. 122.
  80. ^ Won election in November 1899 by a plurality of 1,564. See: Appeal to Reason, Dec. 16, 1899, pg. 4.
  81. ^ a b Bedford 1966, pg. 117.
  82. ^ Bedford 1966, pg. 90.

Bibliography

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