Until 1945, Louis F. Budenz was a labor activist and prime supporter of the United States communist party. Returning to his early roots in Catholicism, he renounced the party and positioned himself as a strong anti-communist advocate. His role as a witness for the government in many trials and congressional hearings, which included his part as advisor to Senator Joseph R. McCarthy, led to the conviction and deportation of several communist party members. He was a professor and lecturer at a number of Catholic universities, and published six books on the dangers of communism.
On July 17, 1891, Louis F. Budenz was born in Indianapolis, Indiana to Henry Joseph and Mary Gertrude (Sullivan) Budenz. His early schooling was spent at St. John’s High School in Indianapolis, St. Xavier’s College, Cincinnati, and St. Mary’s College in Kansas. He later returned to his hometown where he earned a Bachelor of Law at the Indianapolis Law School in 1912.
As a young man he was impacted by the treatment and conditions of laboring people, which prompted his interest in the labor movement. He soon involved himself in publications and organizations, which included his ten-year position as editor for the Labor Age. Additionally, he was active in organizing union strikes, which included the Kenosha hosiery mill strike of 1928 in Wisconsin, the Patterson silk strike of 1930 in New Jersey, and the Toledo Auto-Lite strike of 1934. His involvement in these movements led to twenty-one arrests against him, though, he was acquitted of all.
In 1935 Budenz made his loyalty to communism public with a publication that appeared in the Daily Worker, along with his newly elected position as labor editor to the paper. In two years he was promoted to president and managing editor, while also taking on the position of editor for the Midwest Daily Record. Both spots were held until 1940.
Also in 1940, a publication appeared by Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen titled Communism: Answers to a Communist. In this pamphlet Sheen directs his words against several of Budenz’s pro-communist writings.
This, along with Budenz’s meeting with Sheen involving a discussion of communism and Catholicism, led to Budenz’s October 10, 1945 announcement conveying his rejection of communism and return to the Roman Catholic Church.
Also joining the church were his second wife Margaret (Rodgers) Budenz, and their three daughters Julia, Josephine, and Justine. They later had a fourth daughter named Joanna.
At this time he began his teaching career, beginning with Notre Dame University as professor of economics from 1945 to 1946. Then with positions at Fordham University lasting from 1946 to 1956, a brief stay at Selton Hall University in 1952, and Providence College in 1956. During these years and beyond, he published six anti-communist books, which highly contrasted his early pro-communist writings appearing in journals and pamphlets. His later publications include: This is My Story, 1946; Men Without Faces, 1950; The Cry is Peace, 1952; The Techniques of Communism, 1953; Ex-Red, 1954; and The Bolshevik Invasion of the West, 1965.
About a year following Budenz’s rejection of communism, he was recruited to testify at a number of communist trials and in front of several House and Senate committees.
Some of these trials include Dennis v. United States, the case against Owen Lattimore, and the 1950 hearings before the Subcommittee on the Investigation of Loyalty of State Department Employees, better known as the Tydings Committee, which was brought about by Senator Joseph R. McCarthy from his claim that there were a number of communists employed within the State Department.
Louis F. Budenz died April 27, 1972 in Newport Hospital in Newport, Rhode Island. The year prior to his death he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Political Science from Providence College.
Collection is open for research by appointment. Materials do not circulate. Some materials may be restricted, for further information contact the Archives and Special Collections, Phillips Memorial Library, Providence College.
Researchers are advised that express written permission to reproduce, quote, or otherwise publish any portion or extract from this collection must be obtained from the Phillips Memorial Library. Although Providence College has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Author Last Name, First Name Middle Name or Initial. Title or description of material. Day month year. Louis F. Budenz collection. SC002, Box number, Folder number. Providence College Archives and Special Collections, Phillips Memorial Library. URL if applicable.
The collection is primarily comprised of books, pamphlets, and periodicals encompassing diverse topics on Communism in the United States and abroad. The collection also contains flyers, clippings, publications by his wife and daughter, microfilm, and an assortment of correspondence, most notably between Budenz and Senator Joseph R. McCarthy.
The collection is arranged into eight series:
Louis Budenz, in 1969, donated his personal collection of published materials relating Communism to Providence College. Additional materials were donated after 1969.
The series is comprised of many rare and foreign publications, and covers virtually every aspect of Communism pro and con. Louis F. Budenz used these materials in research for his many publications and Congressional testimonies.
Included in this series are basic works on Communism, histories of the movement, and biographies of prominent leaders of the Soviet Communist party. Many of the publications discuss the various economic, technological, religious, social, and gender philosophies that Communism embraced.
The series is arranged into 24 topical subseries, ordered alphabetically. Within the subseries, publications are arranged alphabetically by title.
This series is concerned with the Communist movement that took place on a global scale. These publications cover the international Communist movement's effort to create a worldwide Communist party.
The series includes works by Chou En-Lai, Lin Piao, Liu Shao-Chi, Mao Tse-Tung, Nikita Khrushchev, Fidel Castro, Earl Browder, Eugene Dennis, amd Gus Hall.
The series is arranged into subseries organized alphabetically by continent, then country, and then topic and sub-topic where applicable. Additionally, there are subject-based subseries at the beginning and end of the series that cover multiple geographic areas.
The series contains news clippings and includes excerpts from various books and periodicals that deal primarily with the American and international Communist movement.
The most prominent item in each folder has been listed; however, the majority of folders contain additional related materials.
The series is arranged chronologically.
The series contains Mr. Budenz's correspondence with many individuals concerning Communism here and abroad. It ranges from holiday greeting cards to requests for him to teach anti-Communist courses at many colleges and universities.
The most prominent item in each folder has been listed; however, the majority of folders contain additional materials.
The series is arranged chronologically.
The series contains ephemera relating to issues of national and local (primarily, New York City) interest. Included is material relating to the following subjects: McCarran Act, Catholic organizations, United States Communist Party members and participation in national elections, May Day demonstrations, courses on Communism, Civil Rights Movement, war in Vietnam, and labor and student unrest.
The most prominent item in each folder has been listed; however, the majority of folders contain additional related materials.
The series is arranged chronologically.
The series contains correspondence between Mr. Budenz and Senator Joepseh R. McCarthy, and reports and statements written by Senator McCarthy. The correspondence is primarily composed of letters written by Mr. Budenz to keep Senator McCarthy and his staff abreast of writings in various periodicals regarding Communist theory and strategy. The reports and statements were written by Senator McCarthy as a means of keeping both the media and his constituents advised of his activities, particularly in the investigations of Communist influence in the United States government.
The series is arranged by document type, then chronologically.
This series contains newsletters, periodicals, serial publications, magazines, and newspapers published by or about communist organizations, political parties, and governments.
This series is arranged alphbetically by publication title.
This series is comprised of publications issued by the U.S. Government on communism, several typed book reviews completed by Budenz's wife, Margaret, and other personal materials.