Unger, Abraham, 1899-1975

Abraham Unger (1899-1975) was a lawyer, Communist, a founder and officer of the National Lawyers Guild and leader of its New York City Chapter, and beginning in 1948, partner in the law firm of Freedman and Unger. His defendants included the Communist Party USA, various state-level Party organizations, individual Communists and progressive activists, radical and/or Communist-associated labor unions and their leaders and activists, and fellow lawyers charged with contempt and other crimes in connection ...

From the description of Abraham Unger Papers 1936-1976, undated. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 652520318

Abraham Unger (1899-1975) was a lawyer, Communist, a founder and officer of the National Lawyers Guild and leader of its New York City Chapter, and beginning in 1948, partner in the law firm of Freedman and Unger. His defendants included the Communist Party USA, various state-level Party organizations, individual Communists and progressive activists, radical and/or Communist-associated labor unions and their leaders and activists, and fellow lawyers charged with contempt and other crimes in connection with their defense of radicals.

Unger was a graduate of the New York University Law School. As a member of the International Labor Defense, he took part in the preparation of the defense of nine young African American men convicted of rape in Scottsboro, Alabama in 1931. Unger also defended the first twelve Communist Party USA top leaders indicted under the Smith Act in 1949 (for conspiring to advocate the violent overthrow of the U.S. government), and was himself indicted for contempt in 1953 for refusing to answer questions from Senator Joseph McCarthy before the U.S. Senate Permanetn Subcommittee on Investigations, including whether or not he headed the Party's section for professionals.

From the guide to the Abraham Unger Papers, 1936-1976, undated, (Tamiment Library / Wagner Archives)