Career
Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Carlson was raised in local Catholic schools. After her 16-month prison sentence, she became an activist for better conditions for women prisoners. Grace Carlson was the Socialist Workers Party candidate for Senate in Minnesota in 1940, receiving almost 9,000 votes.
She ran as the Socialist Workers Party vice presidential candidate in 1948 with Farrell Dobbs and ran again as a United States. House of Reperesentatives candidate for Minnesota"s 5th district 1950.
She had been a professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota. She left the SWP in 1952 citing conflict with her Catholic beliefs.