Art’s Story

Art Perlo, lifelong Communist beloved for his stalwart dedication, modesty, wit and wisdom, passed away on December 18, 2021 after a year-long battle with bladder cancer.

He served as Ward 24 Co-Chair in New Haven, Connecticut and executive board member of the Yale Unions Retirees Association. Ward 24 Alder Evette Hamilton called him a “gentle giant” for his kindness, commitment, humor and broad knowledge that touched the lives of so many in the city, state and around the country.  He was a long-time member of the National Committee of the Communist Party USA, and chair of its Economic Commission.

Born in New York on November 2, 1947, son of Marxist economist Victor Perlo and artist Ellen Perlo, Art moved to New Haven in 1975 after living in Chicago and Portland, Oregon, to join his life partner Joelle Fishman, participating in her history making People before Profits campaigns for Congress and Mayor on the Communist Party ticket. They enjoyed 46 years of marriage, organizing in Connecticut together along with family and comrades, hosting countless events at their home, and sharing joy in the struggle.

As an independent economist and activist, Art devoted his talents to the cause of the rights and equality of working class people of all races, genders and national backgrounds, giving full support to Joelle in her role as chair of the Connecticut Communist Party USA and in her national leadership capacities.

An IT worker at Yale's Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry lab for 35 years, Art helped organize and was a founding member of the clerical and technical workers union Local 34 Unite Here in 1984.  Although not eligible for the union with his managerial and professional job classification, he was appreciated for honoring the strikes of Local 34 and Local 35, joining his co-workers on the picket line for respect and improved wages and benefits. He was an early proponent for restructuring Yale's hiring practices to open job opportunities for Black and Latino New Haven residents.

Since the 1990's Art was a consistent voice to tax the rich, developing the economic basis for the legislative campaign of the Coalition to End Child Poverty in Connecticut in 2005 that proposed a 2% tax on the portion of income above $200,000 to end child poverty, which helped pave the way for progressive tax reform and the child tax credit.

In 2011 he developed the economic basis for the Jobs for Youth – Jobs for All campaign initiated by the YCL and New Elm City Dream and taken up by the New Haven Board of Alders, which showed that as  government funding for youth summer jobs was dramatically cut, the number of youth homicides and lives lost dramatically increased.

Art helped organize many buses to marches and protests in Washington DC and New York for peace, racial justice and immigrant rights, events at the New Haven Peoples Center which he helped manage, and participation in countless actions and events in Connecticut including the People's World Amistad Awards which gave him a tribute in December 2021.Each year on May Day he produced a slideshow of the struggles and demands of working people around the world.

Art was a frequent contributor to the People's World on economic and other issues, and edited the People before Profits column following his father's death.  He distributed the People's World weekly to co-workers and friends.

Art gave various lectures locally and nationally, including a popular analysis “An Activist's View of Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century” at the New Haven Free Public Library in 2014: https://www.cpusa.org/article/an-activist-view-of-piketty-s-capital-in-the-21st-century-video/

Art was deeply respected for his willingness to take on any task no matter how small in the community or the union, and for his unwavering commitment to equality, peace, environmental justice and an end to exploitation to make the world a better place. During the 2020 presidential election he led a strong voter registration and “Dump Trump“ get out the vote effort in Ward 24.

As education director of the Connecticut Communist Party he held many classes to bring forward new leaders. As a member of the National Committee of the CPUSA he chaired the Economic Commission, and over the years served on the editorial board of Political Affairs, on the African American Equality Commission and on various convention committees, always upholding the working class struggle for socialism.

Art was a scholar and intellectual for major change in our capitalist system.  As an activist himself he encouraged others to develop their understanding of the system as well as their importance in using their knowledge to bring others into activism.  He dedicated his life to this pursuit.

Throughout his life, Art was never afraid to stand up for justice, showed great respect for people, and was deeply appreciated  After being suspended from the University of Chicago along with scores of other students for opposing the war in Vietnam in 1969, Art courageously refused induction into the military. When he became ill during the process his notice to serve was withdrawn.

Art then moved to Oregon where he worked briefly as a lumberjack and then in a steel mill. He served as organizer for the Communist Party in Oregon, participated with the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, the Committee to Free Angela Davis, and the campaign to put the Gus Hall and Jarvis Tyner Communist Party presidential ticket on the ballot traveling to Alaska to collect signatures, and winning respect everywhere he went.

Art was an avid biker, hiker and rock climber, photographer, videographer and cook.

Predeceased by his parents, Art legacy for justice lives on with his wife Joelle, mother-in-law Edie, brother Stanley and sister Kathy and her family in Scotland, and the countless comrades, friends, co-workers and neighbors who have had the good fortune to call Art their friend.

OBITUARIES

People's World: Art Perlo, Gentle Giant
https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/art-perlo-gentle-giant-1947-2021/

New Haven Independent: Art Perlo, 74
https://www.newhavenindependent.org/obituaries/art_perlo_74

La Voz Hispana: Art Perlo, 74
https://lavozhispanact.com/2022/01/13/art-perlo-74-anos/

PAR Newsletter: Tribute to Art Perlo
https://par-newhaven.org/2021/12/31/tribute-to-art-perlo/

People's World: Art Perlo, Gentle Giant
https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/art-perlo-gentle-giant-1947-2021/

New Haven Independent: Art Perlo, 74
https://www.newhavenindependent.org/obituaries/art_perlo_74

La Voz Hispana: Art Perlo, 74
https://lavozhispanact.com/2022/01/13/art-perlo-74-anos/

PAR Newsletter: Tribute to Art Perlo
https://par-newhaven.org/2021/12/31/tribute-to-art-perlo/