Title Page | Collection Summary | Biographical/Organizational Note | Scope and Content | Arrangement
Biographical Note
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1900, Dec. 17 | Born Benjamin Grefenson, Effingham, Ill. |
| 1919 | Joined Industrial Workers of the World |
| 1920 | Married Jennie Cooperman |
| 1921 | Joined Communist Party of America, Erie, Pa. |
| 1923-1931 | Held positions in Communist Party districts in New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania |
| 1928 | Became national committee member, Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA) |
| 1931 | Named national organizer of unemployed for the CPUSA Led National Hunger March to Washington, D.C. |
| 1931-1935 | National secretary, Unemployed Councils |
| 1932 | Led second National Hunger March to Washington, D.C. |
| 1935-1940 | General secretary-treasurer, Workers Alliance of America |
| 193? | Married Lillian Gerber |
| 1940 | Conducted a national “party building tour” to promote the CPUSA |
| 1940-1942 | General executive board member and national executive secretary, International Workers Order |
| 1942-1944 | Head of Communist Party in Missouri |
| 194[?]-195[?] | Owner and operator, Metropolitan News Agency, Washington, D.C. Manager, Trenton Terrace Apartments, Washington, D.C. |
| 1953-1978 | Merchant, Pottery Fair, Washington, D.C. |
| 1983, May 10 | Died, Rockville, Md. |