Researcher: William Zhang, Stuyvesant '27

Coleman Charles Persily was born in New York City on March 13, 1916. His parents had immigrated from Russia, as part of the enormous wave of immigration going through Ellis Island. Growing up in New York City & the Perth Amboy region of New Jersey, Persily was embedded directly within the gritty industry of the turn of the century. Even from a young age, Coleman, or to his closest family Charlie, had always been championing class struggle and was a lively activist. He was spontaneous and nobody knew what to expect next from him. In his first job at an in-law’s garment shop - a job which he’d “begged and begged for” - the first thing he did, according to family, was quite hysterically, stage a strike.

Working his job in the garment industry during the destitute times of the late 30s, he’d also find himself participating as a union activist advocating for the rights of the ‘little guy’. He held his job until 20, when he heard about the coup in Spain against the socialist Republic, and the opportunity set forth by the Communist Party to stop the spread of fascism and the threat of another world war. He was already a member of the Communist Party by this time, and this resonated deeply with him. He commenced his journey to Spain with the rest of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade posing as visitors vacationing in France. Avoiding scrutiny by American officials and limiting their Communist affiliations, the group left for France, and upon landing, crossed the treacherous Pyrenees Mountains into Spanish territory. In Spain, they were at first stationed at the International Brigades HQ in Albacete, in 1937.

In Almansa, a town near Albacete, he underwent training as an artilleryman (where, however, the French faced more preferential treatment). He noted in Barcelona that although the Republicans had the political idealism and the passion in their fight, they lacked proper troops and supplies to fight Franco. He was assigned to the John Brown battery (the 14th Battery, 2nd group, 11th regiment), operating heavy artillery under commander Arthur Timpson, and commissar (a role that enforced party loyalty and political education within the unit, but also acted to raise morale) Jack Waters, whom he especially loved. The John Brown battery was named after American abolitionist John Brown, whose passion and fighting spirit represented the most dedicated of the abolitionist movement. The unit was named in accord and part of the larger Abraham Lincoln Brigade (composed of mostly American units), which was named after American wartime president Abraham Lincoln. The John Brown battery was one of the most well-trained battalions (at least, in regards to the other volunteer groups in the ALB), and they first fought in Villanueva de la Serrana in Estremadura, until they were moved to Toledo to support the infantry. However, it was mostly quiet for the rest of their deployment. In a later interview, Persily noted that there was always a looming fear of death, and not being able to make it back home. In fact, his family thought he had died in Spain, and hosted a memorial service for him. Persily’s unwavering connection to his family back home also helped get him through the war. Marked by the countless letters he sent to his brother, Joe Persily, Coleman always kept in touch with his family and stayed true to his cause in Spain.

Coleman C. Persily’s influence extends far beyond his time in Spain, however. After being sent home in 1938 by Premier Negrin, Coleman reunited with his family back in the United States. Persily moved to Los Angeles after arriving home from Spain, and unable to work his previous garments job, he instead worked for the Bethlehem Steel Shipyards in Los Angeles and joining the Merchant Marines, where he sailed cargo ships and delivered personnel and equipment. Still a member of CPUSA (communist party), he led campaigns for them and was well connected among other highly influential political activists, such as Ed Roybal, Bert Corona, and Angela Davis allying with Bert Corona to campaign for Ed Roybal’s position in Congress. Later on, working as an insurance agent, he moved from Berkeley to San Rafael. Here, he became a leader of the Golden State Manufactured Homes League (in later years, he lived in a mobile home park, but regardless fought for mobile home owners), helped create the Tenant’s association in Marin, (county where he lived), and organized the Canal community Alliance, putting rent freeze onto the ballot of issues in San Rafael. Not to mention, he ran for state assembly a number of times for the Peace and Freedom party, an independent (socialist) party in order to shed light upon issues faced by his community, getting up to 3% of the vote. Throughout his later years in California, he fought for MAPA and was a staunch supporter of Mexican Americans and the issues they faced. Throughout Persily’s life, until he died in 2007 aged 90, he was not only politically active but fought for what was close to him and his community. To do that takes courage and pride, and he never backed down from a challenge, as shown from his outspokenness, especially his actions within his local community. Even from an early age, he demonstrated that he had the heart for activism, and continued his own good fight beyond Spain. He attended the 50th ceremony for the Abraham Lincoln Brigades, and was honored as part of it.

 

Sources

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