Clarence Kailin was one of the last survivors of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, a group of American volunteers who fought against fascism in the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. Kailin fought in defense of Spain’s democratically elected government against a military coup led by Gen. Francisco Franco, backed by Adolf Hitler and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. In one of his last public appearances, Kailin, a lifelong activist, told friends and supporters at his 95th birthday celebration in Madison, “We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Thanks to Karen Rybold-Chin for this video.