Berry was born in Texas where his three siblings performed as the musical trio The Berry Brothers.^[1] After working in a factory, Berry began his career as a journalist in Houston.^[2] Berry moved from Kansas City to Harlem in 1935 to work for the League of Struggle for Negro Rights.^[3] He replaced Harry Haywood as the leader of the group.^[4] In Harlem, Berry worked to organize support for Ethiopia against Italy during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.^[5] At the same time, Berry was critical of aspects of Ethiopian society, opposing its use of slavery and feudalism.^[6]

Berry was an active member of the Communist Party, working on efforts to encourage social and political interaction between white and Black Party members.^[7] He eventually became the Negro Affairs Editor for the Daily Worker.^[8]

In September 1957, Berry was photographed in a group with Martin Luther King Jr. at the Highlander School, leading to accusations that King attended a "Communist Training School".^[9]

In January 1958, Berry resigned from the Communist Party along with John Gates and Lester Rodney, in response to Khruschev's Secret Speech and its revelations about Stalinism.^[10] Berry worked for the United Nations in 1960, organizing the Afro News Service which focused on stories about African politics.^[11]

Berry died in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, following a stroke.^[12]

Biography

References