May the Spirit Be Unbroken

About the Book

This story is about the resilience of the human spirit, following three generations of activist families and the author as child and adult in the context of radical change movements of the twentieth century. The constant chant from the author’s mother, “When all the children in the world are happy, only then do you have a right to be,” was character defining, as were her many traumatic experiences growing up during the McCarthy era “witch hunts” of the 1940s and 1950s. History of her grandparents participation in an educational commune, alternative living styles, and researched labor union history provides an exciting backdrop.

About the Author

Maxine De Felice, was born in 1938; her parents, Clara and Henry Fiering were in St. Louis at that time: young, dedicated activists, involved organizing the electrical industry, Century andEmerson Electric, CIO, the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, (UE), and the Communist Party. Th e author is a trained psychotherapist with more than fifty years of experience, providing her with the tools to understand the impact of trauma, neglect and deprivation on the personal lives of activists and their children. Th e book attempts to convey both an appreciation for the accomplishments and devoted hard work of the activists and perhaps some lessons that might be learned as a result. Ms. De Felice is one of approximately three million “Red Diaper Babies,” children born to left wing or Communist Party members during the first half of the 20th century. She is one of forty contributors included in the anthology: Red Diapers: Growing Up In the Communist Left. She also has an essay printed in the magazine, Spectacle, Vol.4, No. 1, “Th e Ferrer Colony.” Maxine De Felice lives in Northern California with her husband. Her two children, two stepchildren, and four grandchildren live nearby.