Biography
Lawrence Emery, from Sacramento, was convicted of violating the California Criminal Syndicalism Act because of his role in the Imperial Valley farmer workers strike. He was sentenced to three to forty-two years in prison and served in San Quentin from June 1930 to February 1933. Emery was an organizer for the Marine Transport Workers Industrial Union and a member of the Communist Party. In early 1930, Emery traveled to Imperial Valley as an organizer for the Trade Union Unity League and began organizing a farm worker strike. The 1930 strike was not successful. Among the demands pushed by the union were an eight-hour work day, abolition of child labor, equal pay for equal work and an end to race segregation among the employees. Because of the strike activities, Emeiy, along with thirty-two others, was indicted under the California Criminal Syndicalism Act. Eventually, eight defendants stood trial and were convicted. The judge presiding at the trial was extremely hostile to the defendants. In a letter to the parole board the judge wrote: "The Court considers the defendants... a decided menace and detriment to society and civilization."
