Benjamin Losinski
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Benjamin Losinski | |
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| Born | December 8, 1872 St. Paul, Minnesota |
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| Died | April 24, 1947 (aged 74) Boise, Idaho |
| Nationality | Polish American |
| Political party | Socialist Party of America |
| Residence | Idaho |
| Occupation | Lawyer, Politician |
| Religion | Atheist |
Benjamin Losinski (December 12, 1872 – April 24, 1947), was a prominent Socialist political leader and lawyer who began the modern Socialist movement in Idaho. Losinski is best known for his contributions to expanding socialist ideals in Idaho. He is renowned for organizing the Caribou Mountains miners into unions that still exist today.
Born to a poor Minnesota farmer, Losinski was the oldest of three children. His father had immigrated to the United States from Poland in the mid 1800s. Growing up during the rise of industrialization, Losinski witnessed the hardships small farmers faced. In 1892, Losinski moved to Idaho in hopes of pursuing a career in law. A self-taught lawyer, Losinski moved to Pocatello where he studied Idaho law for several years. Around 1905, now a moderately successful lawyer, he moved to Swan Valley to help protect the miners of that area. It was at this time that Losinski organized the Caribou Mountains silver miners into a union in an attempt to improve working conditions and wages. This union, now part of the United Mine Workers, continues today. Around 1921, Losinski moved to Boise, Idaho in an attempt to spread his Socialist ideals in the state capital. He established a law firm in Boise. After gaining notoriety in Boise as a radical, liberal lawyer, he ran for governor in 1924 and 1928, both times running against incumbents. Following his loss to H. C. Baldridge in 1928, Losinski retired from his law firm and moved to a small ranch outside of Boise. He died in 1947 of tuberculosis. A small memorial to him was constructed in Boise's Municipal Park in 1972, the 100th anniversary of his birth.
