Frederick Vanderbilt Field

Frederick Vanderbilt Field was a prominent American leftist activist and writer, famously known as the "Reds' pet blueblood" for his radical departure from his family’s conservative, capitalist legacy.

Field was born on April 13, 1905, in Manhattan, Field was the great-great-grandson of railroad tycoon Cornelius "Commodore" Vanderbilt. He was raised in extreme luxury; he later remarked that he grew up "surrounded by servants who did everything for him but sneeze". Despite his lineage, his political leanings shifted significantly during his education at The Harvard Crimson (where he was an editor) and the London School of Economics, where he was influenced by socialist thinker Harold Laski.

Upon returning to the U.S., Field briefly attempted to work within the Democratic Party but found it resistant to social change. In 1928, he publicly supported Socialist candidate Norman Thomas for president. This move led his great-uncle, Frederick William Vanderbilt, to disinherit him, costing Field an estimated $70 million inheritance.

Field became a specialist on Asian affairs and a key figure in several controversial organizations:

Institute of Pacific Relations (IPR): He served as an assistant and board member, using his personal wealth to support the organization's research on the Pacific area.

American Peace Mobilization (APM): He led this group, which picketed the White House to keep the U.S. out of WWII—until Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union, at which point Field immediately advocated for war.

Civil Rights and Labor: He supported the Civil Rights Congress and the Council on African Affairs, groups often designated as "communist fronts" by the government.

During the 1950s, Field was a primary target of the McCarthy-era investigations. In 1951, as secretary of the Civil Rights Congress bail fund, he was convicted of contempt of court for refusing to reveal the names of contributors who posted bond for Communist leaders who had jumped bail. He served two months in federal prison for this refusal.

In 1953, facing intense government scrutiny, Field moved to Mexico, entering a self-imposed exile that lasted nearly 30 years. There, he focused on amateur archaeology and music. He maintained high-profile connections, including a friendship with Marilyn Monroe, whom he described as having Marxist sympathies.

He returned to the U.S. in 1982, settling in Minneapolis, where he wrote his autobiography, From Right to Left (1983). 

He died on February 1, 2000, at the age of 94.