Claessens, August, 1885-1954

August Claessens was one of the most influential leaders in the educational and political development of the Socialist Party. He helped organize support for the Socialist Party within several New York City labor unions and in the fall of 1917 was elected to the New York State Assembly where he worked for legislation pertaining to child labor, the penal code's procedures for obtaining an admission of guilt, the abolishment of the Bolstead Act, the abolishment of the death penalty, and the regulation of police powers in suppressing strikes. On April 1, 1920 Claessens was one of five socialist assemblymen who were expelled from the State Assembly on grounds that membership in the Socialist Party constituted disloyalty to the United States. In September 1920, he was re-elected to the Assembly in a special election, but again the anti-socialist forces refused to permit him to take office. Finally, in 1922 Claessens was allowed to take office after being re-elected for a third time. In the mid-1930s Claessens withdrew from the Socialist Party and became the executive secretary and, later, the national chairman of the Social Democratic Federation. From the mid-1920s until his death Claessens taught courses in public speaking, parlimentary procedure, psychology and social psychology, race relations, anthropology and sex and society at the Rand School and at several evening schools sponsored by New York City labor unions.

From the description of Papers, 1911-1955. (New York University). WorldCat record id: 78240139

August Claessens (1885-1954) was one of the most influential leaders in the educational and political development of the Socialist Party. Shortly after becoming a socialist in 1909, Claessens helped organize support for the Socialist Party within several New York City labor unions. In the fall of 1917, Claessens was elected to the New York State Assembly. As a representative of one of the Lower Manhattan assembly districts, Claessens drafted and worked for legislation pertaining to child labor, the penal code's procedures for obtaining an admission of quilt, the abolishment of the Volstead Act, the abolishment of the death penalty, and the regulation of police powers in suppressing strikes.

On April 1, 1920, Claessens was one of five socialist assemblymen who were expelled from the State Assembly on the grounds that membership in the Socialist Party constituted disloyalty to the United States. Although legally represented in the fight to retain his office by Charles Evans Hughes, a future United States Supreme Court Chief Justice, Claessens was denied his seat throughout the turbulent period of the Red Scare. In September 1920, Claessens was re-elected to the State Assembly in a special election, but again the anti-socialist forces, led by Assembly Speaker Thaddeus C. Sweet, refused to permit Claessens to take office. Finally, in 1922, Claessens was allowed to take office after being re-elected to the State Assembly for the third time.

In the mid-1930s Claessens withdrew from the Socialist Party and became the executive secretary and, later, the national chairman of the Social Democratic Federation. Claessens held the position of national chairman until his death in 1954. Besides his involvement with the Social Democratic Federation, Claessens also ran unsuccessfully for a number of local and state offices.

Claessens was one of the most active faculty members at the Rand School of Social Science. From the mid-1920s until his death in 1954, Claessens taught courses in such subject areas as public speaking, parliamentary procedure, psychology and social psychology, race relations, labor-management relations, socialist theory, contemporary politics, anthropology, and sex and society. Claessens also served as an instructor in several evening schools sponsored by various New York City labor unions. At these schools, Claessens primarily taught courses in public speaking and labor-management relations.

From the guide to the August Claessens Papers, 1906-1963, (Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archive)