Lee, Algernon

Algernon Lee was a socialist, educator and New York City alderman. After attending the University of Minnesota in the early 1890s, Lee worked as a political organizer for the Socialist Labor Party and served as editor of several socialist publications. In 1909 Lee became the Director of Education at the Rand School of Social Science. He held this position until his death in 1954. Lee was also an instructor in economics and American history at the Rand School. On the New York City Board of Aldermen from 1918 to 1921 as a Socialist Party representative, Lee supported various measures regarding municipal ownership of the transit system and decreases in municipal taxes. During World War I Lee, a pacifist, opposed the Board's decision to assist in the sale of war savings stamps, but he later joined the Board in working on behalf of Liberty Bond sales. In November 1919 Lee was re-elected to the Board of Aldermen, but was prevented from taking office until November of 1921 because of a fight over voting irregularies. During the mid 1930s Lee was actively involved in the factional disputes which resulted in the Socialist Party split. Unable to hold the various factions together during this turbulent period, Lee withdrew from the Socialist Party in 1936 and joined the Old Guard in establishing the Social Democratic Federation for which he served as the national chairman and honorary national chairman.

Lee also served on the New York State Executive Committee of the American Labor Party in the late 1930s but later quit after discovering that the organization was dominated by the Communist Party.

From the description of Papers, 1896-1954. (New York University). WorldCat record id: 83695356

For more than 50 years Algernon Lee was a leading figure in the major educational and political activities pertaining to American socialism. After attending the University of Minnesota in the early 1890s, Lee worked as a political organizer for the Socialist Labor Party and served as the editor of several socialist publications, including The Tocsin in Minneapolis and The Worker, The Daily Call, and The New Leader in New York City. In 1909, Lee became the Director of Education at the Rand School of Social Science. He held this position until his death in 1954. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Lee was also an instructor in economics and American history at the Rand School.

Lee was a member of the New York City Board of Aldermen from 1918 to 1921. As a Socialist Party representative, Lee supported various measures regarding municipal ownership of the transit system and decreases in municipal taxes. During World War 1, Lee, a pacifist, opposed the Board's decision to assist in the sale of war savings stamps, but he later joined the Board in working on behalf of Library Bond sales.

In November 1919, Lee was re-elected to the Board of Aldermen, but was prevented from taking office because he was declared the loser in his race. The Board's committee on privileges investigated the situation and reported that although there had been no election fraud, there were certain "errors" in the vote count which made it appear as if Lee had been defeated in his re-election bid. Upon receiving the committee's report, Lee embarked on a fight to retain his seat on the Board. In November 1921, just two months before his term of office expired, Lee was finally allowed to take office. Lee also sued the City of New York for the $5,500 salary which he claimed was owed to him during this period. Eventually he won this suit with a favorable New York Supreme Court ruling,

Concerning other socialist experiences, Lee was a delegate to numerous Socialist Party national conventions and socialist international conferences. As a Socialist Party candidate, Lee ran unsuccessfully for president of the New York City Board of Aldermen, New York state senator, Mayor of New York City, and other offices. Lee also served one term as the national chairman of the Socialist Party following Morris Hillquit's death in 1933.

During the mid-1930s, Lee was actively involved in the factional disputes which resulted in the Socialist Party split. In 1934, he presided over a Socialist Party rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City which ended in a pitched battle between the Militants and the Old Guard. Unable to hold the various factions together during this turbulent period, Lee withdrew from the Socialist Party in 1936 and joined the Old Guard in establishing the Social Democratic Federation. Lee served as the national chairman and honorary national chairman of the Social Democratic Federation after it was organized. Lee also served on the New York State Executive Committee of the American Labor Party in the late 1930s, but later quit after discovering that the organization was dominated by Communist Party members.

From the guide to the Algernon Lee Papers, Bulk, 1896-1954, 1861-1954, (Bulk 1896-1954), (Tamiment Library / Wagner Archives)