The California Labor School is best described by its historical marker that stands at the location of the former school. It reads: 

An ethnically diverse student body experienced a “Worker's Culture” here through painting, dance, music, theater, labor history and social science courses. Such artists as Anton Refregier, Ralph Stackpole, and Pablo O'Higgins taught classes and workshops to union members and veterans returning from World War II. The post-war U.S. anti-communist crusade led to the demise of this artistic and intellectual hotbed. 

The California Labor School was founded in 1942 in San Francisco, and was originally named the Tom Mooney Labor School after socialist, labor and political activist Tom Mooney. Sponsored by local labor unions, it sought to serve the huge influx of workers in the wartime economy, offering classes on labor organization, economics, journalism, history, music, drama and industrial arts. Labor unions were booming in the 1930s and 40s, as the result of the Roosevelt administration’s New Deal policies. During that time, the labor movement proved to be a huge influence on the political and social climate. The California Labor School included teachers who were union organizers and professors from neighboring colleges. There were many well-known artists, activists and writers who attended the school, including a teenage Maya Angelou. 

During World War II, the GI Bill was enacted to enable veterans to attend accredited colleges. The California Labor School was accredited from 1945-1947, and many took advantage of the opportunity to attend classes including Andy Samberg’s biological grandfather. In 1947, there were almost 2,000 full and part-time students. 

In 1947, the school was placed on the U.S. Government’s Subversive List. The list was created by Attorney-General Francis Biddle to track organizations believed to be influenced by the Soviets. Once the school was on this list, students could not be employed by the federal government and if they worked for the government they could be discharged. Attendance declined and the school closed in 1957.