The Michigan Central Railroad Police Department Mugshot collection contains 112 mugshots and accompanying police intake records for suspected members of the Communist Party USA. A number of these photographs come from the 1932 Ford Hunger March, with others coming from the GM Fisher Body plant strike in Flint in July 1930. Other individuals were arrested by the Flint Police department throughout the 1930s, and several were affiliated with specific investigations, as noted on the intake forms.
Of particular note is the arrest record of William Z. Foster in New York in 1930. Foster served as the secretary of the Communist Party, campaigned for Governor of New York in 1930, and ran for President of the United States in 1924, 1928, and 1932. Other notable members include Joe Sgovio who was deported to Russia, where he died; and Will Geer, who played the grandfather on 1970's television program The Waltons. While most of the mugshots are of men, two depict women (Marion Simon and Stella Marie Harrison).
Also included in the collection is a folder of historical information on the photographs, collected by the donor and housed with the collection.
Mugshots and records in the collection where taken during the 1930s crackdown on Communist Party USA (CPUSA) membership. During this period the Federal government as well as local municipalities were growing increasingly concerned with CPUSA and other left-leaning political groups causing disturbances and attempting to organize workers. Some of the individuals featured in the collection were members of CPUSA, while others were arrested for suspected involvement, or for involvement with similar activities. Non-Americans were deported to their home countries, including some to Russia, where one (Joe Sgovio) was incarcerated in a gulag and eventually died of illnesses contracted while imprisoned.
Intake cards attached to the photographs are pink, indicating the potential Communist connections of the arrested individual.
