Oskari Tokoi

Antti Oskari Tokoi (15 April 1873 – 4 April 1963) was a Finnish socialist politician who served as a leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland. Tokoi became Chairman of the Senate of Finland in 1917, and thus, he was the world's first social democratic leader of the government. During the short-lived Revolution of 1918, Tokoi participated as a leading figure in the revolutionary government. Tokoi later emigrated to the United States, where he served as the long-time editor of Raivaaja (The Pioneer), the newspaper of the Finnish Socialist Federation.

Life and Politics Early years

Oskari Tokoi was born as Antti Oskari Hirvi in Yliviirre parish, Kannus in the Central Ostrobothnia region of Finland on May 15, 1873. The family adopted the surname "Tokoi," the name of a farm purchased by his paternal grandfather, in accordance with common local practice in this period. His father, Kalle, was a farmer and horse-trader.

With the economic situation grim, Tokoi's uncle emigrated to the United States in 1878, inspiring Tokoi's father to follow him in 1881. His father had been one of the few literate people in the area and saw the benefit of reading, so Oskari was enrolled to attend grammar school as a boarder in a neighboring village at the time his father departed for America. Tokoi would be a star pupil at the school, but his parents refused permission for him to attend school after the first four years were completed and literacy attained; Tokoi would never attend a formal educational institution again.

Oskari's father returned to Finland in January 1887. As his brother, Oskari's uncle, had already taken over the family farm, Oskari's father resumed his career as a horse-trader, with mixed success.

After severely injuring another boy in a fight, resulting in medical costs, the relationship between Tokoi and his uncle further deteriorated and by mutual consent in January 1891 the 17-year old Oskari quit the family farm to emigrate to America. The next phase of his life had arrived.

First American interlude

Following a difficult winter journey across the sea beginning in January 1891, Tokoi arrived in the United States and made his way to the coal mines of the state of Wyoming, in which his father had worked before him. Tokoi worked in a series of coal and hard metal mines in Wyoming, Colorado, and the Dakota Territory, joining the radical Western Federation of Miners in connection with his employment.

Loss of employment in the mines later forced him to travel the Midwest in search of work, however. His activity led him to be elected as chairman of the workers' association of Kannus in 1905.

During the Finnish Civil War Tokoi sided with the Communists and worked as the "commissar in charge of provisions" (minister for supply) in the Finnish People's Delegation. After the war, fearing punishment from the victorious Whites, he fled to Russia. On November 21, 1921, Tokoi returned again to the United States via Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, on his passport issued in England.

He made his way to the Finnish-American colony at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, where he was briefly incarcerated as a suspected anarchist.

Upon his release, Tokoi became an editor at the Finnish language newspaper Raivaaja (The Pioneer).

Death and legacy

Oskari Tokoi died on April 4, 1963, and he was buried in Forest Hill Cemetery in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Finland's President Kekkonen visited Forest Hill Cemetery in July 1970, pausing at the grave of the late Oskari Tokoi.

Political offices

Member of Parliament of Finland—1907 to 1918 Speaker of the Parliament of Finland—1913 Chairman of the Senate of Finland—1917

Memorials Tokoinranta, a quay in Helsinki, is named after him. The Oskari Tokoi Memorial is located in the Finnish Center at Saima Park in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Tokoi was honored with a Wäinö Aaltonen sculpture at Social Democratic Party headquarters in Helsinki. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth, Oskari Tokoi was honored with a memorial in Kannus, Finland.

Selected works Sisu: Even Through a Stone Wall: The Autobiography of the First Premier of Finland. New York: Robert Speller & Sons, 1957. Keski-Pohjanmaan Maakuntaliitto. Keski-Pohjanmaan Maakuntaliitto, 1953.