Emma Goldman

Vilna, Lithuania
Born June 27, 1869
Statement of Qualifications
I am the greatest American of the Gilded Age because I spent decades fighting tirelessly
against widespread inequality, repression and exploitation. Through my speeches and
writings I passionately advocated for freedom of expression, sexual freedom and birth
control, equality and independence for women, radical education, union organization and
workers' rights. My message was uncompromising and some considered me the most
courageous radical while others feared me for my anarchist views. I became a prominent
figure in America in the creation of the right to freedom of speech as I myself was
frequently harassed or arrested when lecturing and even banned from doing so. Through
my personal resilience, I inspired many to fight for freedom and equality.
.
Summary
I have dedicated my life to the creation of a new social order where everyone is entitled to
liberty unrestricted to man-made law. I was born in Russia and raised in a Jewish ghetto
until I came to America in December 29, 1885 and settled in Rochester, New York with my
sister Lena. A year later, while employed as a garment worker, I got to witness social
injustice and under the mentorship of Johann Most, founder of the radical newspaper
Freiheit ("Freedom"), I toured Rochester, Buffalo and Cleveland for my 1st public lectures
in 1890. The next decades I would dedicate to touring the country speaking with
audiences on topics ranging from the eight hour movement, to anarchism, to birth
control. Through my written work I got the opportunity to disseminate my views in a more
targeted way and as an editor of Mother Earth it gave me an outlet to advocate for women
emancipation, radical political causes, labor movement, and opposition to the U.S.
government on a variety of issues. My criticism in 1917 during World War I of mandatory
conscription of young men into the military led to a two-year imprisonment, followed by
my deportation in 1919 as well as the end to the publications of Mother Earth. I however
continue to publish my work and thoughts through different outlets and have published 5
books.
.
Professional Experience
1886 - 1888
Garment worker in Rochester, New York
1889 (Aug Dec)
Worked at a corset factory in New York City
Worked at the office of anarchist newspaper Freiheit
Helped organize the November 11 Haymarket Commemoration
Emma Goldman

1890 - Present
Public orator and writer
1892
Worked in a photography studio in Springfield, Massachusetts
1895
Received formal training in Vienna for nursing and midwifery
1906 - 1917
Editor of the magazine Mother Earth, a radical journal that stayed in
circulation until the government shut it down under claims it was
violating the Espionage Act of 1917.

Major Accomplishments
1890
Public Lectures
Topic: the limitations of the eight-hour movement: reducing average
work day from 11 hours to 8 at the same pay.
1893
March Leader
Led a march of 1,000 to Union Square to further spread the premise
that workers are entitled to bread
Imprisoned for inciting to riot, and sentenced to one year in the
penitentiary on Blackwell's Island in New York's East River
1894
Published works
August 17th: The New York World publishes the account of my
experience in prison
1896
Published works
Co-authored Anarchy Defended by Anarchists, a book by Johann
Most
1898 - 1899
Public Lectures
February-June 1898: Addressed sixty-six meetings in twelve states and
eighteen cities
January-September 1899: lecture tour of eleven states
1906 - 1917
Magazine Mother Earth
Editor and publisher
1907
Public Lectures
New York City speech on "The Misconceptions of Anarchism" to 600
people that led to my arrest on January 6th
March tour of the US and Canada for a series of lectures
Emma Goldman

1908
Public Lectures
February: Western tour to speak on "The Crisis: Its Cause and
Remedy," "The Relation of Anarchism to Trade Unionism," "Direct
Action as the Logical Tactics of Anarchism," "Syndicalism: A New
Phase of the Labor Struggle," and "Woman under Anarchism."
April 26: Lectures on patriotism
1910
Published Writer
Author of book Anarchism and Other Essays
1911
Public Lectures
Tour to speak on "Tolstoy - Artist and Anarchist", "Marriage and Love",
"Danger in the Growing Power of the Church", and "Anarchism Versus
Socialism"
1914
Published works
June 1914 published information about the various methods of
contraception in the issue of the journal The Woman Rebel with the
help of Margaret Sanger.
Published Writer
Author of Social Significance of the Modern Drama
1914- 1916
Public Lectures
Tour the US covering topics on "War and the Sacred Right of
Property," "The Sham of Culture," "The Misconceptions of Free Love,"
"The Psychology of Anarchism," "Women Right to Choose," "The
Intermediate Sex (A Discussion of Homosexuality)".
Arrested in multiple occasions for discussing birth control
1917
Draft Act
July 9: sentenced to two years' imprisonment in the Jefferson City
federal Penitentiary in Missouri.
1919
Deportation
September 27th: After serving my term in Federal prison I return to
Rochester, New York
December 5th: Go to Ellis Island under orders from the Department of
Labor for deportation to Russia.
December 21st: Depart to Soviet Russia from Ellis Island on the Buford,
an army transport ship
1922
Published Work
March 26-April 4: my articles exposing the harsh political and
economic conditions in Russia are published in The New York World.
Emma Goldman

Published Writer
Author of book, My Two Years in Russia
My Disillusionment in Russia (1923); My Further Disillusionment in
Russia (1924); Living My Life (1931).
1923
Published Writer
Author of book, My Disillusionment in Russia
1924
Published Writer
Author of book, My Further Disillusionment in Russia
1931
Published Writer
Author of book, Living My Life
1934
Return to the US
March 21-April 2: lectures in Illinois for thousands of attendance,
culminating in a banquet held in my honor.
Published Work
December: Harper's publishes essay, "Was My Life Worth Living?"
References

Johann Most
Radical, German-American politician, newspaper editor, and orator
Alexander Berkman
Anarchist, Political activist and writer
Ben Reitman
American anarchist, Physician and teacher, Socialist
John Reed
American journalist, socialist activist and poet, author of Ten Days
that Shook the World his first-hand account of the Bolshevik
Revolution

Addendum

Book: Anarchism and Other Essays

Quote:
The most absurd apology for authority and law is that they serve to
diminish crime. Aside from the fact that the State is itself the greatest
criminal, breaking every written and natural law, stealing in the form
of taxes, killing in the form of war and capital punishment, it has come
to an absolute standstill in coping with crime. It has failed utterly to
destroy or even minimize the horrible scourge of its own creation.
Journal: Mother Earth
Quote from "The Failure of Christianity"- April, 1913:
Emma Goldman

Sphere The worker who knows the cause of his misery, who
understands the make-up of our iniquitous social and industrial system
can do more for himself and his kind than Christ and the followers of
Christ have ever done for humanity; certainly more than meek
patience, ignorance, and submission have done.
Autobiography: Living My Life
Quote:
Men and women ... do you not realize that the State is the worst enemy
you have? It is a machine that crushes you in order to sustain the ruling
class, your masters. Like nave children you put your trust in your
political leaders. You make it possible for them to creep into your
confidence, only to have them betray you to the first bidder. But even
where there is no direct betrayal, the labour politicians make common
cause with your enemies to keep you in leash, to prevent your direct
action. The State is the pillar of capitalism, and it is ridiculous to expect
any redress from it.

Bibliography
Kutler, Stanley I., ed. Dictionary of American History. 3rd ed. Vol. 1.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. Print.
Daz-Martnez, Elisa. "Emma Goldman." Emma Goldman. Americans
Who Tell the Truth, 2006-2015. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.americanswhotellthetruth.org/portraits/emmagoldman>
"Emma Goldman Biography." - Childhood, Life Achievements &
Timeline. The Famous People, n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/emma-goldman1346.php>
"Sharing Stories Inspiring Change." Emma Goldman. Jewish Women's
Archive, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2015.
<http://jwa.org/womenofvalor/goldman>
"Timeline: Anarchism and Emma Goldman." PBS. PBS, 3 Nov. 1912.
Web. 19 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldman/timeline/index.html>
Lumsden, Linda L. Anarchy Meets Feminism: A Gender Analysis of
Emma Goldman's Mother Earth, 19061917. N.p.: American
Journalism Historians Association, 2007. Taylor & Francis. 3 June
2013. Web. 20 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08821127.2007.1067
807 8#preview>

Emma Goldman

"Life and Conflict in the New World." Emma Goldman Online

Exhibition: Life and Conflict in the New World. Berkeley Digital
Library SunSite, 2 July 2013. Web. 21 Jan. 2015.
<http://ucblibrary3.berkeley.edu/Goldman/Exhibition/newworld.htm
l>

Emma Goldman