Daughter of Lincoln Brigader Donates to Support People’s History

“In honor of my father, who died in the Spanish Civil War. He served in the Lincoln Brigade.”

Rhoda Seidler’s donation to the Zinn Education Project came with a connection to people’s history. Her father volunteered for the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, an international volunteer army that fought to save Spain’s Republican government from being overwhelmed by the fascist Francisco Franco, and his allies, Hitler and Mussolini.

“My father, known as Glyde to my family and Arthur to, it seems, the rest of the world, was from Omaha. My parents met in Chicago after my mother arrived there from Russia, during the Depression. He was a wonderful orator and spoke eloquently at political meetings. In The Abraham Lincoln Brigade, author Arthur H. Landis notes that Arthur Madden died in an olive grove, after having volunteered a second time, one week before the end of the ‘civil’ war. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives (ALBA) in New York couldn’t tell me where he was buried, for retreating armies do not bury their dead, I was told.”

Photo: Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives.

Seidler heard about the Zinn Education Project through a retired professor at Purdue University, who shared a story about Mitch Daniels’ attempt to ban Howard Zinn.

With Seidler’s support, we can continue to challenge Daniels’ and others who try to censor people’s history. More importantly, we can provide teachers with more resources for teaching outside the textbook. The legacy of Seidler’s father will live on in the work of teachers throughout the country.

To continue highlighting stories of everyday people fighting for justice, we rely on donations from everyday people like you. Join Rhoda Seidler by making a donation today.