Biography

William Dudley Pelley (March 12, 1890 – June 30, 1965) was an American fascist activist, journalist, writer and occultist, noted for his support of German dictator Adolf Hitler during the Great Depression and World War II.Pelley came to prominence as a writer, winning two O. Henry Awards and penning screenplays for Hollywood films. His 1929 essay "Seven Minutes in Eternity" marked a turning point in his career, published in The American Magazine as a popular example of what would later be called a near-death experience. His antisemitism led him to found the Silver Legion of America in 1933, a fascist paramilitary league. He ran for president of the United States in 1936 as the candidate for the Christian Party.

In 1942, Pelley was prosecuted by the U.S. government for sedition and seditious conspiracy for conspiring to cause insubordination in the military and obstruct recruitment. He was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. Pelley was released on parole in February 1950. As a condition of his parole, he was forced to cease his political activities.

Upon his death in 1965, The New York Times assessed Pelley as "an agitator without a significant following."