ALBA
Teaching History | Inspiring Activism | Upholding Human Rights | Established by the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in 1979.
- Thomas Brown was born #otd in Wichita Falls, Texas, in 1910. In 1932 he joined the CP, rising through the ranks to the position of unit organizer. Tom arrived in Spain on April 2nd, 1937. Initially, he was assigned to the instruction company at the American Training Base in Tarazona de la Mancha.
- Oliver Law was born #otd in Matagorda, Texas, in 1900. He served in the US Army from 1919-1925 and worked a variety of jobs. He joined the CPUSA in 1932 and was involved in anti-eviction, unemployment organizing, and Ethiopia solidarity campaigns in Chicago. He ran for Illinois State House in 1934.
- Adolph Ross (Buster”, “Dolph”, Adolfo Roces Rodriguez) was born #otd in NYC, 1917. He lived in Brooklyn and joined the YCL in 1934 and the CPUSA in 1937. He arrived in Spain on June 7, 1938 and served with ALB in the Ebro Offensive. Adolph was wounded in the Sierra Pandols on August 9, 1938.
- Milton Felsen was born #otd in Brooklyn, 1912. He joined the CPUSA and was a student in Iowa. He sailed for Spain on March 31, 1937 at the age of 18 and served with ALB until he was WIA at Brunete. He recovered and served as an ambulance driver until he returned on December 20, 1938.
- February is Black History Month and we're honoring the 90 Black ALB vets who fought fascism in Spain. Robin D.G. Kelly found that Black volunteers went to Spain with a range of motivations, but one of the strongest pulls was their solidarity with Ethiopia against fascist Italy's invasion in 1935.
- Ramón (Ray) Durem was born #otd in Seattle, 1915. He joined the US Navy at 14. He attended Berkeley and joined the CPUSA and was active in left-wing campus causes. He arrived in Spain on March 20, 1937 and served with ALB until he was shot in the knee at Brunete.
- Book Launch—Espe Pons Maybe Never Again January 30, 2026 (5:00PM – 6:30PM EDT) International Center of Photography 84 Ludlow Street, New York, NY 10002
- Constantino Dubac was born #otd in Trieste, Italy, in 1913. He studied at Cooper Union and worked as an electrician. He was a member of the BSEIU and CPUSA. He was naturalized as a US citizen on June 8, 1937.
- Joe Gordon (Mendelowitz) was born #otd in Brooklyn, 1914. He worked in the CCC, joined the CPUSA and served in the US Army until he deserted to fight in Spain. He served in Spain twice and was one of the first Americans to arrive and the last to leave: He arrived in Spain on January 3, 1937.
- Cornelius Gerardus Pieters was born #otd in Haarlem, Netherlands in 1894. He moved to the US and was naturalized in 1938 and worked as a "moving picture operator" and a driver before he went to Spain. He was a member of the CPUSA and IBEW.
- Aaron Lopoff was born #otd in NYC, 1914. He attended NYU and Texas A&M. He was a writer and joined the CPUSA in June 1937. He arrived in Spain on August 11, 1937 and served with ALB, briefly as Acting Commander. He was WIA in September 1938 an at Ebro and died in the hospital. He was 24.
- Bill Bailey was born #otd in Jersey City, 1910, into a family of 14 children. After the 4th grade he started working and became a seaman as a young teen. He joined the IWW, the CPUSA and briefly organized as a longshoreman. He visited Italy in 1935, which hardened his early anti-fascist views.
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- Claude Pringle was born #otd in Holston, VA, 1894. He served in the US Army during WWI. He worked as a coal miner and participated in the 1922 strike. He joined the CPUSA in 1931. He sailed for Spain on May Day 1937 and served with ALB and the Mac Paps. He was WIA at Teruel.
