Who was this woman? Her name is Emma Goldman and she was a major player in American radicalism.

Emma Goldman was born in Russia in 1869. When she was 15, her father tried to arrange her marriage, but Emma would not hear of it. So she and her sister fled their home and journeyed to America.

In 1886, something happened that changed her life. When a bomb went off during a labor rally in Chicago, seven police officers were killed. A group of anarchists (some of whom were not even at the rally) were tried on flimsy evidence and sentenced to death to satisfy the public, who were crying for justice. Check out Becky's article on this shocking story!

When Emma learned of this, she started reading everything she could and devoted her life to the ideals of anarchism.

Emma became involved in the political activism of New York City, lecturing and writing about a wide variety of topics:

Anarchism: According to her own definition, anarchism is about creating a social order based on liberty instead of laws.

Women's rights: Emma was all about the liberated woman. She talked openly about sexuality and birth control.

Free speech: Emma founded a magazine called Mother Earth as a way to discuss anarchist ideas and international movements. As she toured the nation, Emma's lectures were frequently banned, and she was arrested several times.

Labor and industrialism: Emma spoke out against the rise of industrialism, factory conditions, and violence against workers.

Anti-militarism: Emma was very opposed to World War I, especially the draft. As an anarchist, she believed in free choice in all aspects of life.

Yellow journalism and the Red Scare: What do all these colors have to do with the story? Yellow journalism refers to the media exaggerating or distorting the news to create a sensational story for readers. This press was definitely biased against Emma. It started in 1892 with an incident involving the Carnegie Steel Company.

When a strike at a steel plant in Pennsylvania turned bloody, Emma and her life-long companion, Alexander Berkman, decided to take matters into their own hands and plotted to kill the guy in charge. Not the smartest idea-Berkman was imprisoned, and the press sensationalized "Red Emma" as a demon of violence and sexuality.

The Red Scare was the fear of radicals, anarchists, and foreigners. Congress passed a law allowing the deportation of foreigners who opposed organized government. On December 21st, 249 Russian-born radicals, including Emma Goldman, were herded onto a ship and sent back to Soviet Russia.

Emma spent the rest of her life in exile. After her death, she was readmitted to the United States and is now buried in Chicago, near the Haymarket anarchists who were her original inspiration.

I definitely don't agree with all of Emma's opinions. But I do think she was an amazing person who spoke out about issues way ahead of her time. Whether you think she was a demon or a delight, Emma Goldman was definitely an intriguing woman whose life we can learn a lot from.

Neda

Please email me at: neda@ustrek.org