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Pennsylvania

Political repression plays out state by state — shaped by local institutions, prosecutors, and movements for defense. These are the documented political prisoners and cases the census holds for Pennsylvania.

840Documented
10In custody
552Released
3Awaiting trial

Eras of repression in Pennsylvania

Where Pennsylvania’s entries fall across the census’s historical eras.

1930s 260 1700s 79 1910s 76 1920s 73 1960s 69 1800s 61

Documented cases

840 entries in the census — every one stays in the record, whether the case is open or closed.

A
Alberta Wicker Africa
Released
Alberta Wicker Africa was a close companion of MOVE founder John Africa and later became a leading public voic...
C
Conrad Africa
Released
Conrad Africa was a MOVE member imprisoned in Pennsylvania during the organization’s 1977–1978 confrontation w...
J
Jerry Africa
Released
Jerry Africa was a MOVE member imprisoned in Pennsylvania during the organization’s 1977–1978 confrontation wi...
R
Robert Africa
Released
Robert Africa was a MOVE member imprisoned in Pennsylvania during the organization’s 1977–1978 confrontation w...
F
Frank Albert
Frank Albert was one of three workers named on page 3 of the Daily Worker, October 15, 1931, as arrested and h...
B
Bud Alcock
Released
Bud Alcock was listed among imprisoned draft and conscientious resisters in contemporary CCCO reports from 197...
G
George Alexander
Released
George Alexander was a Young Communist League activist prosecuted over an anti-war demonstration in McKeesport...
L
Lena Alexander
Released
Lena Alexander was a convicted defendant in the McKeesport, Pennsylvania anti-war "riot" case of 1937. In 1937...
R
Rodney Alexander
Released
Rodney Alexander appears in the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors’ 1968 lists of imprisoned draft...
J
John F. Allen
Released
John F. Allen worked in Harry Truitt’s dental laboratory. Arrested during the 1950 New Kensington picketing di...
M
Mamie Allen
Released
Mamie Allen was an Unemployment Council participant arrested during the police raid on a relief delegation at...
J
Joseph Andrews
Joseph Andrews was a Washington County coal-strike defendant. The November 20 dispatch reports a six-month sen...
S
Samuel Arbitman
Released
Samuel Arbitman was a conscientious objector from Pennsylvania imprisoned during World War I. Court-martialed...
P
Paul Babish
Released
Paul Babish was a Pennsylvania coal striker prosecuted in Washington County during the 1931 miners' strike. Co...
E
Elizabeth Baer
Released
Elizabeth Baer was the recording secretary of the Philadelphia Socialist Party who, with Charles Schenck, was...
A
Angelo Baldvino
Angelo Baldvino was a coal miner whom the November 12, 1928 Daily Worker reports police beat at Export, Pennsy...
J
James Bant
James Bant was an International Ladies Garment Workers Union organizer arrested while organizing in Allentown....
J
John Barnett
Released
John Barnett was among the western Pennsylvania men taken into federal custody during the suppression of the W...
J
Jim Barr
Released
Jim Barr was an Irish republican supporter held at the Philadelphia Detention Center in connection with US fed...
O
Ormond Barrett
Released
Ormond Barrett is named in Marshall among the four editors and proprietors of Harrisburg's Patriot and Union a...
A
Adam Barwinski
Adam Barwinski was a striking miner from Nanticoke. The Daily Worker, February 21, 1935, page 2, continuing a...
E
E. Basruk
E. Basruk is named in the January 1932 Labor Defender winter-aid roster under Others in Blawnox Workhouse. The...
B
Barry Bassin
Released
Barry Bassin was identified among imprisoned conscientious and antiwar resisters in contemporary peace-movemen...
D
Donald Baty
Released
Donald Baty appears in the Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors’ 1968 lists of imprisoned draft and c...

Institutions in Pennsylvania

Prisons, jails, and detention centers in Pennsylvania that appear in the census’s case files.

Fort MifflinPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
48 cases
Allegheny County WorkhouseBlawnox, Pennsylvania
34 cases
Walnut Street JailPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
20 cases
Philadelphia GaolPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
18 cases
United States Penitentiary, LewisburgLewisburg, Pennsylvania
14 cases
Butler County PrisonButler, Pennsylvania
11 cases
FCI AllenwoodWhite Deer, Pennsylvania
10 cases
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas / SCI Pennsylvania state prisonsPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
9 cases