Sennett, William, 1914-

William (Bill) Sennett (né Snesetsky or Snestzki) was raised in Chicago and participated in hunger marches, organizing in the South Side black community and other political activities as a Section Organizer for the Young Communist League. He was a metalworker, living in Cicero, IL, when he volunteered for service on the Loyalist side in the Spanish Civil War. He arrived in Spain in March 1937 and served in the International Brigades as political commissar of a transportation regimen -- Second Squad, Second Regiment de Tren. His brother, Maurice (or Morris), also served in Spain. Bill Sennett served in the army air force during World War II, and returned to Chicago after the War and became a paid functionary of the Communist Party. He broke with Party after 1956, moved his family to California and eventually became a successful businessman as president of a multimillion-dollar trucking business headquartered in San Francisco. (For additional biographical information, see William Sennett: Communist Functionary and Corporate Executive, an oral history conducted by Marshall Windmiller, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 1984. Copy at the Tamiment Library.).

From the description of William Sennett photograph collection [graphic]. ca. 1937-1938. (New York University, Group Batchload). WorldCat record id: 83933754

William (Bill) Sennett (né Snesetsky or Snestzki) was raised in Chicago and participated in hunger marches, organizing in the South Side black community and other political activities as a Section Organizer for the Young Communist League. He was a metalworker, living in Cicero, IL, when he volunteered for service on the Loyalist side in the Spanish Civil War. He arrived in Spain in March 1937 and served in the International Brigades as political commissar of a transportation regimen -- Second Squad, Second Regiment de Tren. His brother, Maurice (or Morris), also served in Spain. Bill Sennett served in the army air force during World War II, and returned to Chicago after the War and became a paid functionary of the Communist Party. He broke with the Party after 1956, moved his family to California and eventually became a successful businessman as president of a multimillion-dollar trucking business headquartered in San Francisco. (For additional biographical information, see William Sennett: Communist Functionary and Corporate Executive, an oral history conducted by Marshall Windmiller, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 1984. Copy at the Tamiment Library.)

From the guide to the William Sennett Photographs, 1937-1938, (Tamiment Library / Wagner Archives)

Communist Party member; executive.

From the description of Reminiscences of William Sennett : oral history, 1982. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 309724861