Sailors Union Building
450 Harrison Street
Harry Lundeberg was born on March 25, 1901 in Norway, Lundeberg shipped out at the age of fourteen. Many years later, testifying before a Congressional committee in 1955 he described his past with simple precision. “As for my background, I am a sailor. I went to sea for 21 years. I sailed in many different rigs. I have sailed in steamers, passenger ships, sailing ships and any type of rig you can mention. I have sailed under several different nationality flags. I am an American citizen. I am married. I have a family. I have been a member of organized labor for 40 years.”
In 1934, Lundeberg was sailing as third mate aboard the SS James W. Griffiths. In the course of the 1934 West Coast Longshore Strike, Lundeberg walked off his ship in Oakland in support of the strike. At its height, at least 8,000 west coast sailors joined the strike. On July 30, 1934, as the strike came close to conclusion, Lundeberg was elected Sailor’s Union of the Pacific patrolman for the Seattle area.
Harry Lundeberg – 1901–1957 – He was indeed a man who crowded into a short life no glittering promise, but unselfish service and general achievement for the course he called his own.
The sculptor on this piece is listed as E. Hunt, it is owned by the San Francisco Arts Commission.
They did him proud. (And thank heaven for unions.)
It’s nice that people like that are remembered and honoured!
He packed quite an achievement in his life.
He died way too young! But he accomplished some significant things. I wish we had more like him today who would be willing to stand up for the rights of workers.
As a matter of fact: Harald Olaf Torgersen Lundeberg (Harry Lundeberg) was born in 1900, not in 1901. The day and the month are correct, the year is wrong. He was bapticed in Frogner church in Oslo, Norway June 4.th 1900, and was also registered in the national cencus in December 1900.