Abram Jakira
Encyclopedia
Abraham "Abram" Jakira was an American socialist political activist, newspaper editor, and Communist Party
functionary. He is best remembered as one of the early Communist Party's factional leaders of the 1920s.
in about 1889. Little is known of his life prior to his coming to the United States in 1912.
and was supportive of the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party
which emerged in 1919. Later that year he became a founding member of the Communist Labor Party of America (CLP) and served as the Secretary of that organization's Russian-language federation
. He served as a member of the editorial board of the CLP, in charge of production of the party's Russian-language "underground" (secret and illegal) newspaper and pamphlets.
Jakira moved with the rest of the CLP into the new United Communist Party of America (UCP) in May 1920. He was one of six members of that organization who prepared the UCP's program. In the summer of 1920, Jakira was named the organizer of the UCP's Russian Federation. During this period he used the pseudonym
"A. Dubner." He also later used the pseudonyms "A. Duboff," "Post," and "J. Miller" among other names.
On April 29, 1920, the U.S. Department of Justice and the so-called "bomb squad" of the New York City Police Department
conducted a raid on an apartment which proved to be the national headquarters of the United Communist Party. Jakira was one of those arrested in the sensational raid. He was held and released on $5,000 bail in May 1921.
Jakira briefly seved on the governing Central Executive Committee of the UCP in June 1921, resigning due to "family matters" resulting from his need to regularly commute from Philadelphia to party headquarters in New York City
.
The United Communist Party and the old Communist Party of America united in the Summer of 1921 to form a new, unified organization also called the Communist Party of America. In this organization Jakira was one of the primaries in the so-called "Goose Caucus," which, seeing open operations in the face of law enforcement pressure as potentially disastrous, advocated continuation of the secret form of organization then being employed by the party.
Jakira was elected Executive Secretary of the CPA at the ill-fated August 1922 Bridgman Convention
of the CPA, while also sitting on the governing Central Executive Committee of the party's "legal" and aboveground arm, the Workers Party of America
(WPA). In the six month interval which followed, the secret organization's size and influence withered, while the WPA, fueled particularly by an influx of new blood from the Finnish Socialist Federation
, grew dramatically. Early in 1923 the decision was made to terminate the parallel underground organization which Jakira headed, leaving the "legal" WPA headed by C.E. Ruthenberg
as the sole communist organization in the field.
Called by one of his contemporaries "modest and friendly," Jakira was a factional loyalist to Workers (Communist) Party leaders Ruthenberg and Jay Lovestone
in the middle 1920s. In January 1924, Jakira was appointed the District Organizer of the WPA's Philadelphia district. He remained in that post for at least a year before taking on a similar role in Western Pennsylvania
as DO of the Pittsburgh district, a position which he retained through the end of the decade.
Late in the spring of 1929 Communist Party Executive Secretary Jay Lovestone was deposed by the decision of the Executive Committee of the Communist International
, which aimed to end the ongoing factional war in the American part. Jakira was among the first four of the Communist Party's district organizers to publicly endorse this decision.
Jakira was the Communist Party's District Organizer for the Pittsburgh district in 1928 and was influential in helping to organize the National Miners Union, a radical "dual union" established by the party through its Trade Union Unity League
arm late in that year.
Thereafter, Jakira was named Assistant Secretary of the International Labor Defense
, a mass organization initiated, financed, and controlled by the Communist Party.
on March 20, 1931, in Harlem
.
Communist Party USA
The Communist Party USA is a Marxist political party in the United States, established in 1919. It has a long, complex history that is closely related to the histories of similar communist parties worldwide and the U.S. labor movement....
functionary. He is best remembered as one of the early Communist Party's factional leaders of the 1920s.
Early years
Abram Jakira is believed to have been born in the Russian empireRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
in about 1889. Little is known of his life prior to his coming to the United States in 1912.
Political career
Jakira was an active member of the Socialist Party of AmericaSocialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
and was supportive of the Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party
Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party
The Left Wing Section of the Socialist Party was an organized faction within the Socialist Party of America in 1919 which served as the core of the dual communist parties which emerged in the fall of that year — the Communist Party of America and the Communist Labor Party of America.-Precusors:A...
which emerged in 1919. Later that year he became a founding member of the Communist Labor Party of America (CLP) and served as the Secretary of that organization's Russian-language federation
Language federation
Language Federations were formed in the late 19th and early 20th century by immigrants to the United States, primarily from Eastern and Southern Europe, who shared a commitment to some form of socialist politics...
. He served as a member of the editorial board of the CLP, in charge of production of the party's Russian-language "underground" (secret and illegal) newspaper and pamphlets.
Jakira moved with the rest of the CLP into the new United Communist Party of America (UCP) in May 1920. He was one of six members of that organization who prepared the UCP's program. In the summer of 1920, Jakira was named the organizer of the UCP's Russian Federation. During this period he used the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
"A. Dubner." He also later used the pseudonyms "A. Duboff," "Post," and "J. Miller" among other names.
On April 29, 1920, the U.S. Department of Justice and the so-called "bomb squad" of the New York City Police Department
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
conducted a raid on an apartment which proved to be the national headquarters of the United Communist Party. Jakira was one of those arrested in the sensational raid. He was held and released on $5,000 bail in May 1921.
Jakira briefly seved on the governing Central Executive Committee of the UCP in June 1921, resigning due to "family matters" resulting from his need to regularly commute from Philadelphia to party headquarters in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The United Communist Party and the old Communist Party of America united in the Summer of 1921 to form a new, unified organization also called the Communist Party of America. In this organization Jakira was one of the primaries in the so-called "Goose Caucus," which, seeing open operations in the face of law enforcement pressure as potentially disastrous, advocated continuation of the secret form of organization then being employed by the party.
Jakira was elected Executive Secretary of the CPA at the ill-fated August 1922 Bridgman Convention
1922 Bridgman Convention
The 1922 Bridgman Convention was a secret conclave of the underground Communist Party of America held in August 1922 near the small town of Bridgman, Michigan, about outside of the city of Chicago on the banks of Lake Michigan...
of the CPA, while also sitting on the governing Central Executive Committee of the party's "legal" and aboveground arm, the Workers Party of America
Workers Party of America
The Workers Party of America was the name of the legal party organization used by the Communist Party USA from the last days of 1921 until the middle of 1929. As a legal political party the Workers Party accepted affiliation from independent socialist groups such as the African Blood Brotherhood,...
(WPA). In the six month interval which followed, the secret organization's size and influence withered, while the WPA, fueled particularly by an influx of new blood from the Finnish Socialist Federation
Finnish Socialist Federation
The Finnish Socialist Federation was a language federation of the Socialist Party of America which united Finnish language-speaking immigrants in the United States in a national organization designed to conduct propaganda and education for socialism among their community.-Early Finnish socialist...
, grew dramatically. Early in 1923 the decision was made to terminate the parallel underground organization which Jakira headed, leaving the "legal" WPA headed by C.E. Ruthenberg
Charles Ruthenberg
Charles Emil Ruthenberg was an American Marxist politician and a founder and long-time head of the Communist Party USA .-Biography:Charles Emil Ruthenberg was born July 9, 1882 in Cleveland, Ohio...
as the sole communist organization in the field.
Called by one of his contemporaries "modest and friendly," Jakira was a factional loyalist to Workers (Communist) Party leaders Ruthenberg and Jay Lovestone
Jay Lovestone
Jay Lovestone was at various times a member of the Socialist Party of America, a leader of the Communist Party USA, leader of a small oppositionist party, an anti-Communist and Central Intelligence Agency helper, and foreign policy advisor to the leadership of the AFL-CIO and various unions...
in the middle 1920s. In January 1924, Jakira was appointed the District Organizer of the WPA's Philadelphia district. He remained in that post for at least a year before taking on a similar role in Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
as DO of the Pittsburgh district, a position which he retained through the end of the decade.
Late in the spring of 1929 Communist Party Executive Secretary Jay Lovestone was deposed by the decision of the Executive Committee of the Communist International
Executive Committee of the Communist International
The Executive Committee of the Communist International, commonly known by its acronym, ECCI, was the governing authority of the Comintern between the World Congresses of that body...
, which aimed to end the ongoing factional war in the American part. Jakira was among the first four of the Communist Party's district organizers to publicly endorse this decision.
Jakira was the Communist Party's District Organizer for the Pittsburgh district in 1928 and was influential in helping to organize the National Miners Union, a radical "dual union" established by the party through its Trade Union Unity League
Trade Union Unity League
The Trade Union Unity League was an industrial union umbrella organization of the Communist Party of the United States between 1929 and 1935...
arm late in that year.
Thereafter, Jakira was named Assistant Secretary of the International Labor Defense
International Labor Defense
The International Labor Defense was a legal defense organization in the United States, headed by William L. Patterson. It was a US section of International Red Aid organisation, and associated with the Communist Party USA. It defended Sacco and Vanzetti, was active in the civil rights and...
, a mass organization initiated, financed, and controlled by the Communist Party.
Death and legacy
Abram Jakira died of throat cancerEsophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
on March 20, 1931, in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
.
Articles
- "Pittsburgh District Puts into Motion Plan for Recruiting of New Members and More Activity," The Daily Worker, vol. 3, no. 254 (November 9, 1926), pg. 4.