Anna Strunsky
Encyclopedia
Anna Strunsky Walling was an early 20th Century American
author and proponent of socialism
. Her work focused on social problems
, literature
, and the labor movement.
Anna Strunsky was born into a Jewish family in Babinots (now - Babinovitch), Russia
, March 21, 1877. Her family (her parents were Elias Strunsky and Anna Horowitz) emigrated to New York City
when she was nine years old. After several years in New York, in 1893, the family moved to San Francisco, where her family lived in the home of her brother, Dr. Max Strunsky. Anna joined the Socialist Labor Party as a teenager and remained a socialist the rest of her life. Anna studied at Stanford University
(1896–1898). While at Stanford, Anna met the young writer Jack London
, and they became close friends. She and London spent a great deal of time together discussing social and political issues. Anna and her sister Rose
became leading members of the turn of the 20th century San Francisco intellectual scene, part of a radical group of young Californian writers and artists known as "The Crowd" that included Jack London, Jim Whitaker
, George Sterling
, and others. Anna's first book, The Kempton-Wace Letters
, co-authored with Jack London, was published anonymously in 1903. After his death in 1916, she published a memoir of her relationship with Jack London.
In 1906 Anna and her sister Rose joined American socialist William English Walling
in Russia as correspondents for his revolutionary news bureau. Anna and William married that year. They returned to the United States at the end of the year. Anna continued her writing, and her second book, Violette of Père Lachaise, was published in 1915. William and Anna separated during World War I, in part due to their disagreement over the United States' role in the conflict.
Anna continued to write and advocate for socialism. She was a participant in Quaker social activity, and an active member of several liberal-left groups, including the War Resisters League
, the League for Mutual Aid, the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment, the League for Industrial Democracy
, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
, which she and her husband had helped found.
She died on February 25, 1964 in New York. She was survived by her four children, Rosamund, Anna, Georgia and Hayden.
wrote of meeting Anna and Rose in 1898,
Anna Strunsky Walling Papers are held by the Bancroft Library
, University of California, Berkeley
, the Yale University Library
and the Huntington Library.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author and proponent of socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
. Her work focused on social problems
Social problems
Social problems are problems and difficulties that people often face in society. These include:*crime*corruption*poverty*homelessness*hunger*disease*drug addiction*alcoholism*schizophrenia*depression*pollution...
, literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
, and the labor movement.
Anna Strunsky was born into a Jewish family in Babinots (now - Babinovitch), Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, March 21, 1877. Her family (her parents were Elias Strunsky and Anna Horowitz) emigrated to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
when she was nine years old. After several years in New York, in 1893, the family moved to San Francisco, where her family lived in the home of her brother, Dr. Max Strunsky. Anna joined the Socialist Labor Party as a teenager and remained a socialist the rest of her life. Anna studied at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
(1896–1898). While at Stanford, Anna met the young writer Jack London
Jack London
John Griffith "Jack" London was an American author, journalist, and social activist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone...
, and they became close friends. She and London spent a great deal of time together discussing social and political issues. Anna and her sister Rose
Rose Strunsky Lorwin
Rose Strunsky Lorwin, born Rose Strunsky was a Russian-American translator and socialist.Strunsky's family emigrated to the United States, first to New York City and then to San Francisco, where she attended Stanford University. Along with her older sister, Anna Strunsky, she was active in...
became leading members of the turn of the 20th century San Francisco intellectual scene, part of a radical group of young Californian writers and artists known as "The Crowd" that included Jack London, Jim Whitaker
Jim whitaker
Norris J. "Jim" Whitaker is an American politician of the Republican Party who served as mayor of Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, from 2003 to 2009. Prior to his mayoral term, Whitaker served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003. In October 2003 he was elected borough...
, George Sterling
George Sterling
George Sterling was an American poet based in California who, during his time, was celebrated in Northern California as one of the greatest American poets, although he never gained much fame in the rest of the United States.-Biography:Sterling was born in Sag Harbor, Long Island, New York, the...
, and others. Anna's first book, The Kempton-Wace Letters
The Kempton-Wace Letters
The Kempton-Wace Letters was a 1903 epistolary novel by Jack London and Anna Strunsky. It was published anonymously.It is a discussion of the philosophy of love and sex, written in the form of a series of letters between two men, "Herbert Wace," a young scientist, and "Dane Kempton," an elderly poet...
, co-authored with Jack London, was published anonymously in 1903. After his death in 1916, she published a memoir of her relationship with Jack London.
In 1906 Anna and her sister Rose joined American socialist William English Walling
William English Walling
William English Walling was an American labor reformer and socialist born in Louisville, Kentucky. He was the grandson of William Hayden English, the Democratic candidate for vice president in 1880, and was born into wealth. He was educated at the University of Chicago and at Harvard Law School...
in Russia as correspondents for his revolutionary news bureau. Anna and William married that year. They returned to the United States at the end of the year. Anna continued her writing, and her second book, Violette of Père Lachaise, was published in 1915. William and Anna separated during World War I, in part due to their disagreement over the United States' role in the conflict.
Anna continued to write and advocate for socialism. She was a participant in Quaker social activity, and an active member of several liberal-left groups, including the War Resisters League
War Resisters League
The War Resisters League was formed in 1923 by men and women who had opposed World War I. It is a section of the London-based War Resisters' International.Many of the founders had been jailed during World War I for refusing military service...
, the League for Mutual Aid, the American League to Abolish Capital Punishment, the League for Industrial Democracy
League for Industrial Democracy
The League for Industrial Democracy , from 1960-1965 known as the Students for a Democratic Society , was founded in 1905 by a group of notable socialists including Harry W. Laidler, Jack London, Norman Thomas, Upton Sinclair, and J.G. Phelps Stokes...
, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
, which she and her husband had helped found.
She died on February 25, 1964 in New York. She was survived by her four children, Rosamund, Anna, Georgia and Hayden.
Legacy
In her 1931 autobiography, Emma GoldmanEmma Goldman
Emma Goldman was an anarchist known for her political activism, writing and speeches. She played a pivotal role in the development of anarchist political philosophy in North America and Europe in the first half of the twentieth century....
wrote of meeting Anna and Rose in 1898,
Among the most interesting people I met in San Francisco were two
girls, the Strunsky sisters. Anna, the elder, had attended my lecture
on Political Action. She had been indignant, I afterwards learned,
because of my "unfairness to the socialists." The next day she came to
visit me "for a little while," as she said. She remained all
afternoon, and then invited me to her home. There I met a group of
students among them Jack London, and the younger Strunsky girl, Rose,
who was ill. Anna and I became great friends. She had been suspended
from Leland Stanford University because she had received a male
visitor in her room instead of in the parlour. I told Anna of my life
in Vienna and of the men students with whom we used to drink tea,
smoke, and discuss all through the night. Anna thought that the
American woman would establish her right to liberty and privacy, once
she secured the vote. I did not agree with her....
Anna Strunsky Walling Papers are held by the Bancroft Library
Bancroft Library
The Bancroft Library is the primary special collections library of the University of California, Berkeley. It was acquired as a gift/purchase from its founder, Hubert Howe Bancroft, with the proviso that it retain the name Bancroft Library in perpetuity...
, University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, the Yale University Library
Yale University Library
Yale University Library is the library system of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. It is the second-largest academic library in the North America, with approximately 12.5 million volumes housed in 20 buildings on campus...
and the Huntington Library.