labor leader, politician, b. Sioux City, Iowa. He moved with his parents to Fond du Lac (1878) and to Milwaukee (1899). A painter by trade, he soon became active in the Socialist party in Milwaukee. He was alderman (1910-1914, 1916-1922, 1932-1933), and in this capacity helped establish the Milwaukee citizens' commission and the public employment bureau. In 1920 he was the unsuccessful Socialist candidate for governor. As state assemblyman (1925-1928), Coleman was instrumental in bringing about the allowance of credits to teachers for teachers' college education, and was active in the promotion of greater conservation measures and in the investigation of the state highway program. He was Milwaukee county secretary for the Socialist party (1922-1928), and state secretary of the Socialist party (1923-1928, 1931-1933). After leaving the assembly he worked in Colorado as manager of a mine owned by the Socialists. He was prominent in the labor movement, and was a member of the executive board of the State Federation of Labor and the Milwaukee Federated Trades Council. Milwaukee Leader, Aug. 29, Sept. 2, 1933; Wis. Blue Book (1927); Milwaukee Journal, Aug. 29, 1933.Learn More
Dictionary of Wisconsin History
Explore more than 1,600 people, places and events in Wisconsin history.
[Source: Blue book]
