An American Anarchist | Life of Voltairine de Cleyre | Paul Avrich

“That Voltairine de Cleyre remains a favorite historical figure of anarchists is due in large part to Paul Avrich’s seminal biography which brought her to life at a time when many of us desperately needed such a role model for feminists, anarchists, and advocates of free love alike. Avrich reveals her courage, her frailties, and her humanity on every page.” — Julie Herrada, Curator, Joseph A. Labadie Collection “An American Anarchist closes a major gap in our understanding of American anarchism and particularly a gap in our understanding of its deep roots in American radicalism. It makes the same contribution to our understanding of American feminism.” —Richard Drinnon, author of Rebel in Paradise: A Biography of Emma Goldman When it was first published, An American Anarchist marked a trail historians of American anarchism are still following today. Narrative-driven like all of Paul Avrich’s works, it presents Voltairine de Cleyre (1866–1912), one of the first prominent American-