Burt Nelson

Burt Nelson was born in 1910. His mother was a school teacher, his father a bricklayer, in Wichita, Kansas. Burt's mother died in 1919 and the family came to Seattle in 1921. His father died in 1923.

Burt went to work in the lumber industry at age 15. He finished high school at age 20. He qualified to work as a third-year apprectice electrician, but there were no jobs; he never worked at that trade. He was greatly affected by the fact that nearly everyone he knew was near starvation.

Burt became employed as a longshoreman in 1932. His first child was born a month later. He took part in the 1934 maritime strike and learned the strength of the working class. Burt was deeply influenced by the world-wide anti-fascist struggle. He took part in the 1936, 1946, and 1948 maritime strikes. He was a union organizer in the South in the late 1930s, and suffered the rest of his life from beating he received during that struggle.

He later was elected Seattle CIO Council President in the mid-40s, and took part in the anti-McCarthy fightback in the 50s and early 60s. Burt was then a principal spokesman for the Communist Party in Washington State. He was cited by the McCarren Act Subversive Activity Control Board. Burt was a delegate to 6 national CPUSA conventions in the 50s and 60s.