About
Emma Goldman was born in 1869 in Kovno, Lithuania, then part of the Russian Empire, into a Jewish family. She immigrated to the United States in 1885 and settled in Rochester, where she worked in the garment industry. The Haymarket affair of 1886 radicalized her politically. Moving to New York City in 1889, she became a prominent anarchist orator. In 1906, she founded and edited the anarchist journal Mother Earth. She advocated for women's emancipation, free access to birth control, freedom of speech, and free love. In 1917, she organized the No Conscription League with Alexander Berkman, leading to her conviction under the Espionage Act.
* 1869-06-27 — † 1940-05-14
Major works
- Anarchism and Other Essays (1910)essay
- My Disillusionment in Russia (1923)essay
- Living My Life (1931)autobiography
Key milestones
- 1885Immigrates to the United States with her sister.
- 1906Founds and edits the anarchist journal Mother Earth.
- 1919Deported to the Soviet Union during the Red Scare.
Themes
AnarchismWomen's emancipationFreedom of speechBirth controlFree love
Sources: britannica.com · jwa.org · catdir.loc.gov
