Walfred Commons

Walfred Commons (September 8, 1893 – May 1, 1944) was an American labor organizer and communist activist who played a significant role in the radical labor movement of the early 20th century. Born in Minnesota, Commons became deeply involved in socialist and communist organizing activities during a period of intense labor unrest in the United States. He was a co-founder of the Communist Labor Party of America, one of the earliest communist organizations in the United States, formed in 1919 during the Red Scare period. Commons was also involved in the Mesabi Range iron miners' strike in Minnesota, representing workers in one of the nation's most vital industrial regions. Despite the historical significance of his activism, Commons remains a relatively obscure figure in American labor history, overshadowed by more famous contemporaries, though his work contributed to the broader labor and political movements of his era.