Sen Katayama was a Japanese American political activist, labor leader, and Marxist theorist. He was born on November 25, 1859, in the Fukushima prefecture of Japan and died on April 22, 1933, in New York City.
Katayama was an active participant in the Japanese socialist movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1883, he moved to Tokyo to work as a teacher and became involved in the socialist movement. He was a founding member of the Social Democratic Party of Japan in 1901, which was later banned by the government. In 1905, he helped organize the All-Japan Federation of Labor, which was also banned by the government.
In 1907, Katayama moved to the United States, where he continued his activism. He settled in San Francisco and became involved with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and the Socialist Party of America. He also helped organize the Japanese Workers' Association, which aimed to unite Japanese workers in the United States across ethnic and linguistic lines.
Katayama was a prolific writer and published numerous articles and books on Marxism, socialism, and labor issues. He wrote extensively on the subject of immigrant workers and was a strong advocate for the rights of Japanese immigrants in the United States. He was particularly critical of the discrimination faced by Japanese immigrants, which he saw as a result of the capitalist system.
During World War I, Katayama was arrested and jailed for his anti-war activities. After his release, he continued to advocate for socialism and workers' rights, particularly for immigrant workers. He remained active in the labor movement until his death in 1933.
Sen Katayama was a key figure in the Japanese socialist movement and played an important role in the history of Japanese American activism. His contributions to Marxist theory and his advocacy for the rights of immigrant workers continue to inspire activists today.