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.
.
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
Toured Rochester, Buffalo, and Cleveland to speak on the limitations of
the eight-hour movement: reducing average work day from 11 hours to
8 at the same pay.
Workers' Educational Society at Canmakers' Hall is reported in the
mainstream press
1893
March Leader
Arrested in August after leading a march of 1,000 people to Union
Square, where I reiterate my believe that workers are entitled to bread
Imprisoned after being found guilty of inciting to riot, serving a one
year sentence in the penitentiary on Blackwell's Island in New York's
East River
1894
Published works
After my release from prison on August 17th the New York World
publishes the account of my experience
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
1901
Unjust imprisonment
Released after 2 weeks in jail for lack of evidence in connection to the
assassination attempt of President William McKinley after Leon
Czolgosz mentions the last public hearing he heard was mine; even
though he added I had never told him to kill the president.
1906
Fundraising for Mother Earth
Speaking tour to raise money for the publication of this anarchist
journal devoted to social science and literature.
Emma Goldman

1907
Public Lectures
Arrested on January 6th while speaking on "The Misconceptions of
Anarchism" to 600 people in New York City
Toured Cleveland, Toledo, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis,
and Toronto on March for a series of lectures
1908
Public Lectures
Western tour in February 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."
Lectures on patriotism on April 26 at Walton's Pavilion in San
Francisco
1910
Published Writer
On December 17, published my first book, Anarchism and Other
Essays.
1911
Public Lectures
Toured 40 American towns in six months, delivering 150 lectures on
subjects including "Tolstoy - Artist and Anarchist", "Marriage and
Love", "Danger in the Growing Power of the Church", and "Anarchism
Versus Socialism".
1912
I.W.W. Support
On May 14th we travel to San Diego to support the efforts of the I.W.W.
1914
Public Lectures
November 29-December 6: Lectures in St. Louis, Missouri on topics
including "War and the Sacred Right of Property," "The Sham of
Culture," "The Misconceptions of Free Love," and "The Psychology of
Anarchism."
1915
Women Right to Choose
Arrested on August 6th in Portland, Oregon for distributing literature
on birth control
August 7th I speak at Turn Hall on "The Intermediate Sex (A Discussion
of Homosexuality)".
1916
Women Right to Choose
February 11th: Arrested in New York City for violating Section 1142 of
the New York State Penal Code for lecturing on February 8th a medical
question (birth control) in defiance of the law
March 1st: Speak at a mass meeting held at Carnegie Hall in New York
City about birth control
Emma Goldman

April 20: Sentenced to fifteen days in Queens County Jail Goldman for
lecturing on birth control and refusing to pay a $100 fine.
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: The New York World a series of controversial
articles exposing the harsh political and economic conditions in Russia.
July-December: Complete my manuscript, My Two Years in Russia and
sell the rights to the book.
1923
Published Work
Manuscript is published under the title My Disillusionment in Russia
1932
Published Work
The Knopf publishing company informs me in May that they intend to
publish my autobiography, Living My Life, in two volumes
1934
Return to the US
January: The U.S. Department of Labor approves a three-month visa,
effective February 1, for me to lecture in the U.S. on non-political
subjects.
March 21-April 2: deliver five lectures in Chicago. Sixteen hundred
attend the lecture under the auspices of the Free Society Forum on
March 22, twelve hundred at the University of Chicago on March 23,
and a thousand at Northwestern University on March 26. Fifteen
hundred attend a banquet held in my honor at the Medinah Hotel on
March 28.
December: Harper's publishes my essay, "Was My Life Worth Living?"

References

Johann Most
Radical, German-American politician, newspaper editor, and orator

Emma Goldman

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:
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.
"Sharing Stories Inspiring Change." Emma Goldman. Jewish Women's
Archive, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2015.
<http://jwa.org/womenofvalor/goldman>
Emma 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/10.1080/08821127.2007.1067807
8#preview>
"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