Radical women of Texas during the great depression: An overview of communism and labor union activities

Emma Tenayuca, Charlotte Graham, and Rebecca Taylor are representative of the diversity of agitators within the Texas labor movements in the 1930's as activists fighting for the conditions and rights of workers. While all three were involved in union organizing, which sought effective workers' rights, only Tenayuca joined the Communist Party to accomplish these aspirations. During the same span of years in Texas, Graham and Taylor organized workers for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, but for several contributing factors both chose not to join the Communist Party. While both unions and the Communist Party attempted to aid workers during the 1930's as evinced by Tenayuca, neither Taylor nor Graham chose to join in communist activities. While each of these women agitated for similar goals conceptions as to how best to pursue those goals distinguish their experiences from 1930-1938 in Texas.