HIS 298 - The Socialist Party of America in Connecticut's Past

This exhibit reveals the significant social and political legacy of the Socialist Party in Connecticut during the half-century 1900-1950. The project challenges audiences to broaden their understanding of socialism in the state's past by revealing the mainstream victories of Socialist Party candidates Jasper McLevy, mayor of Bridgeport for nearly a quarter century (1933-1953) and Frederic Cole Smedley. Local newspaper clippings and voting records tell the story of socialism's rise to significance in the state's political arena. The extreme language and passionate oration associated with the Socialist Party is explored through a look at active socialist-communist John Mihelic's unpublished political poetry. Mihelic was also an enthusiastic collector of socialist “propaganda,” saving numerous English-language publications ranging from the 1909 to 1924. The International Socialist Reviews offers a glimpse into the impassioned imagery used by the movement’s proponents. Political cartoons in support of Bridgeport Mayor Jasper McLevy illuminate the role of emotional imagery in the socialist movement.