author
Vito Marcantonio
1902–1954
A fiery New York congressman from East Harlem, he became one of the most outspoken radical voices in twentieth-century American politics. Remembered for fierce loyalty to working-class immigrants and Puerto Rican neighbors, he built a reputation for fighting hard inside and outside Congress.
1 Audiobook
Labor's Martyrs: Haymarket 1887, Sacco and Vanzetti 1927
by Vito Marcantonio
About the author
Born in New York City on December 10, 1902, Vito Marcantonio grew up in East Harlem in an Italian immigrant family and studied law before entering politics. He was closely associated with Fiorello H. La Guardia early in his career, working in La Guardia's orbit and helping with campaigns before winning the congressional seat La Guardia had once held.
Marcantonio served seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing East Harlem and becoming known as an unusually independent and combative figure. Although first elected as a Republican, he later became identified with the American Labor Party and with a broad left-wing politics that emphasized civil rights, labor rights, immigrant communities, and support for Puerto Rican New Yorkers.
His career was admired by supporters for tireless service to poor and working-class constituents and criticized by opponents for his radical alliances and positions. He died in New York on August 9, 1954, but his life still stands out as a vivid example of neighborhood-based politics joined to national debates about power, inequality, and democracy.