Irving Brown (1911–1989) was a prominent American trade unionist and labor leader who played a significant role in international labor relations during the Cold War era. Serving as a key figure within the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and its subsequent merged entity, the AFL-CIO, Brown focused much of his career on international operations, particularly in Western Europe and Africa.
Throughout his career, Brown was actively involved in efforts to splinter and weaken communist-led labor movements abroad, aligning his activities with broader Western geopolitical strategies during the post-World War II period. His work sought to establish and support non-communist, free trade unions as alternatives to Soviet-influenced labor organizations.
In 1962, alongside Jay Lovestone, a former member of the Communist Party of the USA who had been expelled, Brown co-founded the American Institute for Free Labor Development (AIFLD). This organization became a primary vehicle for American labor initiatives in the developing world, reflecting Brown's lifelong commitment to shaping the international labor landscape in opposition to communist influence.
