Mary Price graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and began her career as a secretary to a prominent journalist in New York City. She later engaged in espionage activities for the Communist Party of the USA, acting as a liaison for Soviet intelligence. After being released from espionage duties, Price returned to North Carolina, where she organized the Southern Conference for Human Welfare and became the first woman to run for Governor of North Carolina as a Progressive Party candidate. Following her political campaign, she worked at the embassy of Czechoslovakia and later for the National Council of Churches.

Mary Price's political identity is marked by an intriguing blend of progressive activism and clandestine espionage. Her involvement in espionage for the Communist Party of the USA reveals a deeply subversive approach to national security, while her pioneering role as the first woman candidate for Governor of North Carolina underscores her commitment to gender equality and human welfare. Price's career juxtaposes her public advocacy for social justice with her secretive activities, raising questions about the alignment of her personal beliefs and her covert actions.