James Yates (activist) facts for kids

James Yates (born in 1906 in Quitman, Mississippi; died in 1993 in New York, New York) was an African American hero. He bravely fought against fascism in the Spanish Civil War. He was a soldier in a special group called the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.

Fascism is a type of government where one leader has total power. People have very few rights. Anti-fascists are people who stand up against this kind of rule.

Early Life and Fighting for Change

James Yates grew up in Quitman, Mississippi. His family were sharecroppers, meaning they farmed land owned by someone else and shared their crops. When he was 16, he moved to Chicago. There, he found work in a meatpacking plant.

He cared deeply about fairness and justice. He joined protests for the Scottsboro Case. This was a famous case where nine young Black men were wrongly accused of a crime. He also joined groups called Unemployed Councils. These groups were organized by the Communist Party USA to help people who didn't have jobs during tough times. In 1936, he officially joined the Communist Party USA. This was a political group that worked for workers' rights and social equality.

Fighting in the Spanish Civil War

In 1937, James Yates decided to volunteer to fight in Spain. The Spanish Civil War was a big conflict where people fought against a fascist leader named Francisco Franco. Many people from different countries went to Spain to help.

James Yates joined the Abraham Lincoln Brigade. This was a group of American volunteers who went to Spain to fight against fascism. While in Spain, he met famous writers like Langston Hughes and Ernest Hemingway. James Yates helped by driving ambulances and carrying ammunition for the soldiers.

After the war, he wrote a book about his experiences. It was called Mississippi to Madrid: Memoir of a Black American in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade.

Life After the War

James Yates also served in the US Army during World War II. This was another huge war where countries fought against fascism around the world.

Later, in the 1950s, it was hard for him to find work. This was because of something called McCarthyism. During this time, people who were thought to have communist ideas were often treated unfairly. This made it difficult for them to get jobs.

James Yates passed away in 1993 in New York. He is remembered as a brave person who stood up for what he believed in.