Cottrell offers a broad survey of the American Left’s long history from the 1900s to the Trump presidency, arguing that the movement has been most successful when it is independent and democratic. Thousands of organizations and prominent individuals are mentioned—many of which do not make the index—as part of brief descriptions of hundreds of events and manifestos. The book covers a wide range of movements from the Socialist Party to movements fighting for African American, disabled, LGBTQIA+, and women’s rights. Recommended. General readers and undergraduates.

Choice Reviews

Robert C. Cottrell's All-American Rebels is the indispensable book for anyone interested in the history of the American Left, detailed, lucid, balanced, and comprehensive. This is not just a synthesis, but a work of original scholarship, particularly pathbreaking in its examination of the 21st century Left. The extensive annotated bibliography at the book's conclusion is, in itself, worth the cover price.

Maurice Isserman, author of If I Had a Hammer: The Death of the Old Left and the Birth of the New Left

Robert C. Cottrellhas performed a miracle of research and scholarship in his new book, All-American Rebels, which traces radical movements, causes and leading radical figures in the U.S.A. from the early 20th-century to the start of the 21st century. Written with grace and style, Cottrell’s volume adds greatly to the already substantial body of work about the Left in a nation that has persecuted, jailed, deported and blacklisted rebels and troublemakers. Groups and organizations that once clashed with one another, such as Trotskyites, Communist and Socialists, sit side-by-side in the pages of All-American Rebels. While Cottrell has some favorites, he is remarkably evenhanded in a compact work that shows that radicalism has always been at the core of U.S. history, and that it has survived and even thrived during times of repression and right-wing ascendancy. Tom Paine would love Cottrell’s book. So would Tom Hayden, as well as labor leaders like Eugene Debs, plus radical feminists, advocates of black power, red power, brown power, gay rights, and today’s environmentalists who scream about the coming global apocalypse. All-American Rebels is essential reading for those who participated in the struggles for equality and justice, and for those who are eager to learn about the history that has often been whitewashed from the official story.

Jonah Raskin, Professor Emeritus, Sonoma State University

Robert C. Cottrell takes us on a fascinating journey with the radical Left of the twentieth century from Eugene V. Debs to Bernie Sanders, from the Wobblies to Black Lives Matter, from the ACLU to Antifa, and the multitude of movements in between. A thoroughly researched and well written overview of the successes and failures of leftwing radicalism, this compact book is a welcome addition to the history of American dissent and its significant impact on the development of US society.

Ralph Young, author of Dissent: The History of an American Idea

Robert Cottrell's pithy primer belongs on the shelf of anyone, whether they are a curious college student or a veteran political organizer, who wants to understand the rich and contentious history of the American Left.

David Farber, Author of The Rise and Fall of Modern American Conservatism

Robert C. Cottrell performs a remarkable feat with this compact but comprehensive history of the homegrown American left. He introduces us to all the rich and colorful characters of the old left and new; to the triumphs and tragedies and government repression; to the noble causes and the Stalinist failings; to the Wobblies and the Suffragettes and the Black Power Movement; to SDS and the momentous events of the 1960s - and to the hashtag movements of today. It’s a great read. I couldn’t put it down.

Thorne Dreyer, legendary editor of the underground newspaper, The Rag (Austin, TX); leading '60s activist; and present host of Rag Radio