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Hugo Gellert (1892-1985) was a Hungarian-American artist, illustrator and political activist. Born in Budapest, Hungary, he studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest before emigrating to the United States in 1914. Gellert became involved in left-wing politics and was a member of the Communist Party USA. He used his art to promote social justice and workers' rights, creating powerful images of labour strikes, protests and political rallies. He was also a prolific illustrator, creating illustrations for books, magazines and newspapers. During the Great Depression, Gellert was commissioned by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to create murals for public buildings. His murals can be seen in post offices and other government buildings throughout the United States. Gellert's work was highly influential in the development of American Social Realism, an art movement that focused on depicting the struggles of working class people. He continued to produce art and campaign for social justice throughout his life.