Guide to the Communist Collection of A.E. Forbes, 1921-1972 AIS.2000.07
Arrangement
Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Communist Collection of A.E. Forbes
Creator
Forbes, A. Edward (Adolph Edward)
Collection Number
AIS.2000.07
Extent
4.6875 Linear Feet(3 boxes)
Date
1921-1972
Abstract
Adolph Edward Forbes was a member of the Communist Party (CP) in Pittsburgh from the late 1930s through World War II. The collection presents broadsides and newsletters, some of which were hand rendered and relate specifically to the region, others are widely available Communist Party and Left wing propaganda. The collection also contains family and wartime correspondence, fictional writing, and a diary. Digital reproductions of selected material is available online.
Language
English
.
Author
Kate Colligan and Ian Hartman.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System Archives & Special Collections Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Biography
Born in 1907, Adolph Edward Forbes lived in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh with his mother, father, and siblings. Following high school, Forbes spent fifteen years working in Pittsburgh and also traveling throughout the country, both on his own and later with the United States Navy. By the early 1930s Forbes was a member of the Communist Party, as evidenced by his involvement with its front organizations such as the Workers International Relief (WIR), Cultural Division. Forbes' work in the CP reflected his own interests, such as writing, acting, and selling books. During this time, Forbes worked on novels and short stories. He also acted in local productions of radical plays, was involved in the Pittsburgh Pen and Hammer (a working-class literary publication), and tried to establish a labor research library. There is no indication that Forbes held any high post in the Communist Party at either the national or local level.
In 1940, Forbes left civilian life and entered the United States Navy. In the Navy, Forbes was first a clerk and later a shipbuilder. It was during this time that Forbes met his future wife, Shirley Levine. They were married during World War II and eventually settled in Pittsburgh. While Forbes briefly attended the University of Pittsburgh following high school, he completed his degree after the war, making use of the G.I. Bill. In the next decades, Forbes remained in Pittsburgh with his family and became active within the local Jewish community.
Scope and Content Notes
This collection has been broken down into two series. The first presents a collection of Left wing agitation and propaganda publications that demonstrate representative rhetoric on positions important to the American Left during the Depression decade through World War II. Primarily in the form of broadsides, pamphlets, newsletters, and flyers, these documents detail both issues known internationally and ones unique to Pittsburgh. For a sampling of material contained within this series, please consult the online exhibit at http://historicpittsburgh.org/collection/communist-collection-ae-forbes. Additional information on this series is found in the Series I scope note in the contents list located below.
Series II consists of material personal to Forbes, such as his writing and correspondence. The correspondence that Forbes maintained with his family and friends in the midst of his travels prior to World War II comprise the majority of this series. The collection contains letters as early as 1922, but not until the late 1920s is the correspondence continuous. Additionally, this series contains his efforts at writing fiction (drafts of short stories, ideas for novels, and scripts for plays) and a 1939 diary detailing his thoughts on life, women, and politics. While the focus of Series II is not communism or the Communist Party, documents and references to both are found throughout the series. Further information on Series II is provided in the contents list.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Acquisition Information
These papers were acquired by the Archives Service Center in October 2000.
Preferred Citation
Communist Collection of A.E. Forbes, 1921-1972, AIS.2000.07, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Previous Citation
Communist Collection of A.E. Forbes, 1921-1972, AIS.2000.07, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh
Forbes, A.E., Papers, ca. 1921-1972, ais 2000:07 as well as A.E Forbes Communist Collection.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Kate Colligan in 2001 and then revised by Ian Hartman and Kate Colligan in 2004.
Copyright
Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
