Lore Accurate Humans: Emma Goldman

Forgotten to history after her death, it wasn't until the 1970s that Emma Goldman was once again recognized as a prominent member of some of the many movements she was involved in — mainly feminism and anarchism. Although a look at the beginning of her life would not suggest that she would end up in either of those movements, in fact, it is a miracle she even escaped the domestic lifestyle that was being forced upon her from a young age.

Born in 1869, Emma Goldman was immediately being molded by the environment she was raised in. Her father was abusive, and her mother rarely called him off from whipping the children. Emma, being the most rebellious of the bunch, received the most punishment from her father. This level of violence, coupled with watching peasants being whipped in the street would sow the seeds of a hatred of violent authority that would last the rest of her life.

When her family moved to Germany from Lithuania, she was briefly able to pursue an education. Although she often rebelled against the teachers in her school and their methods of punishment for misbehavior, Goldman was treated relatively well — and was mentored by her German-language teacher. She passed the exam that allowed her to be admitted to German secondary school after much hard work and studying, but a teacher refused to give her a certificate of good behavior because of her past transgressions, and she was unable to pursue her education any further.

The Goldman family would then move to Russia, where they were impoverished and subsequently forced to work odd jobs. Her father threw her books into the fire, telling her that all she was needed for, among other things, was to give her husband many children.

Undeterred by this, Goldman pursued education on her own. Goldman was particularly intrigued by the turmoil that was  happening around her in Russia following the assassination of Alexander II at the hands of Nihilists. She saw a lot of herself in Nikolai Chernyshevsky's novel “What Is to Be Done?,” where the protagonist adopts a Nihilist philosophy and escapes her repressive family.

Goldman's family had the opportunity to move to New York in 1885, but her father was opposed to her leaving. She threatened to drown herself in the river in an effort to force her father's hand, and subsequently moved to New York City.

Goldman had an uneventful marriage with her first husband, who she divorced less than a year after their wedding. They briefly got back together before permanently splitting. Not approving of Goldman's "loose" behavior, her parents refused to allow her to return to the family's home. So Goldman left for Rochester with a sewing machine in one arm and a bag holding only five dollars in the other.

After settling in New York, she would also begin frequenting Sachs' Cafe — a hotbed for radicals — where she would meet lifelong friend and lover Alexander Berkman. Berkman would bring Goldman to hear Johann Most speak, and Most would take her under his wing in an attempt to mold her into someone who could take his place as a leader of "the Cause" when he was gone. She almost immediately became an incredibly fiery speaker, while also quickly separating from Most's cause for refusing to exclusively parrot his beliefs.

Goldman and Berkman then aimed to assassinate Henry Clay Frick, the manager of a Carnegie Steel Company steel plant that was incredibly anti-union in 1892. To help fund the assassination, Goldman turned to sex work, but was unsuccessful as only one man gave her the time of day, giving her $10and telling her she did not have "the knack." She would get the rest of the money from her sister by claiming she was sick and in need of $15.

Despite acquiring the funds to make it a success, the assassination attempt failed, leading to Berkman serving 22 years in prison. Johann Most was furious at the attempt, and as such Goldman confronted him on stage at a public lecture and would whip him for what she felt was a betrayal.

In 1901, the man who shot William McKinley claimed to be an anarchist who was inspired by a speech delivered by Goldman to kill the president. Despite him repeatedly insisting Goldman wasn't actually involved with the assassination, the police still detained her for two weeks. She would then refuse to condemn the assassination, leading to the press smearing her as being the "high priestess of anarchy" and to Theodore Roosevelt's crackdown on anarchy in America.

Despite the threat of the U.S. Government looming larger than ever for many anarchists, Goldman continued to be active in the movement, speaking and starting the publication “Mother Earth.” When Berkman was finally released from prison, the two reunited and would come together to continue their work for the movement. This was highlighted by their active opposition of the mandatory draft during World War I, for which they would both be arrested and serve time in prison before subsequently being deported to Russia.

Goldman would go on to live in several countries across Europe, speaking out on many political issues wherever she went. She was an opponent of the spread of communism in Russia and Europe, as communism often traveled hand in hand with oppression of those living under the system.

Suffering a stroke on Feb. 17, 1940, Goldman was nonverbal for the final months of her life, and she would pass away on May 14, 1940 in Toronto.

After a life full of activism, Goldman is remembered as being on the forefront of progressive movements such as anarchism, feminism and atheism. A talented orator and a rebellious soul, she is remembered for her strong will and for standing up to her oppressors.