Most Violent Element

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Emma Goldman is considered a major figure in American history for her radicalism and feminism. She is known as an influential anarchist of her day. She advocated for free speech, birth control, women’s equality and independence, and union organizations. In 1917, she was sentenced to two years in jail for conspiracy. Soon after she was released she was arrested again and deported back to her native country, Russia. Throughout her life, Goldman had gained attention as a free-thinker. She completed writings and gave lectures on a variety of issues, such as prisons, atheism, freedom of speech, capitalism, and more. One of her more popular quotes is “The most violent element in society is ignorance.”