White, Milton, 1917-

Abraham Lincoln Brigade veteran Milton White was born as Morris White in Cleveland in 1917 to Ephim "Hyman" White (born 1894 in Russia) and Tanya White (also known as Tania Martini). Within a few years, White was living in Brooklyn, where his parents were active in the Communist Party.

In 1937, White volunteered for service in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, which fought on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War. He left for Spain on the Paris on March 27, 1937. While serving as a private, sometimes using the name Morris White, he was wounded several times. While in Spain, he wrote fictional stories, poems, plays, and songs about the war.

White returned home from Spain with a large contingent of veterans on the Ausonia on Dec 20, 1938. He joined the Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (VALB) and was actively involved in VALB events for the next couple of years. A practiced musician, he often entertained attendees with his Spanish guitar.

During the Second World War, White served in the U. S. Army as a private. By the end of the war, he was serving in the Miami field office of the Military Intelligence Division.

From the guide to the Milton White Papers, Bulk, 1933-1939, 1920-1946, (Tamiment Library / Wagner Archives)