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Formal title:: Louis F. Budenz collection
Extent:: 45.25 linear feet (35 record cartons, 7 standard manuscript boxes, 1 narrow manuscript box, and 10 flat boxes)
Date range:: 1893-1985
Abstract:: Louis F. Budenz (1891-1972) was a labor activist and writer. Budenz began his career as an avid supporter of the U.S. Communist Party, but later became a vocal anti-communist and government witness. From 1935 to 1940, he was president and managing editor of the Daily Worker, a communist newspaper published in New York City. In 1945, Budenz reaffirmed his commitment to the Catholic faith and renounced communism, positioning himself as a strong anti-communist advocate. He testified before a series of House and Senate committees, including the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which led to the conviction and deportation of several Communist Party members. Budenz also taught at various Catholic universities, including Providence College in 1956, and published six books on the dangers of communism. The year prior to his death, Budenz received the honorary degree of Doctor of Political Science from Providence College on June 11, 1971. His collection is primarily comprised of books, pamphlets, and periodicals on communism in the United States and abroad. The collection also contains an assortment of correspondence, most notably between Budenz and Senator Joseph R. McCarthy.
Repository:: Phillips Memorial Library
Collection call no:: SC002

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