Albert Maltz

Albert Maltz was born in New York in 1908 to a wealthy family of Western European immigrants. He studied at Columbia University, graduating in 1930. During his university years, he became aware of the predatory nature of capitalism and developed a strong aversion to the violence of fascism. After the war, Albert Maltz joined the vanguard of the American working class and became a member of the Communist Party USA. His political affiliation soon led to his imprisonment in 1950 under the infamous McCarthy law. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in Albert Maltz's life, as he matured into a committed activist and a profound thinker. Albert Maltz made his literary debut with the play "Peace on Earth" in 1934. This was followed by two more plays in 1935: "The Black Pit" and "The Secret Provincials." In 1940, he published "The Underground Stream," and in 1944, his novella "The Cross and the Arrow." After his release from prison, he published the dramatic novella "A Long Day in a Short Life" (1957), which features powerful scenes of human solidarity between white and black imprisoned activists. Finally, his novella "Once Upon a January" (1966) presents images of the struggle against fascism.