Alexander Berkman Papers

Call Number

TAM.067

Date

1917-1919, inclusive

Creator

Berkman, Alexander, 1870-1936

Turkel, Pauline (Role: Donor)

Lohf, Kenneth A. (Role: Donor)

Issawi, Charles (Role: Donor)

Extent

0.5 Linear Feet (1 box)

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

Alexander Berkman was an anarchist and author, and companion of anarchist Emma Goldman. The collection contains legal documents, speeches and transcripts, most pertaining to Berkman and Goldman's trial for opposing conscription during World War I.

Historical/Biographical Note

Alexander Berkman (1870-1936) was an anarchist and author, and companion of anarchist Emma Goldman. Born in Russia to wealthy Jewish parents, he migrated to the U.S. in the aftermath of the Haymarket Riot of 1886. He spent fourteen years in prison for his attempted assassination, in 1892, of Henry Clay Frick, edited and published his own newspaper Blast, was convicted along with Goldman in 1917 of violating the Draft Act, served two years in prison, was deported, wrote several books, and in ill health, died by suicide in 1936.

Sources:

For more information, see Biographical Dictionary of the American Left, pp. 24-27.

Arrangement

The folders are arranged alphabetically.

The files are grouped into 1 series:

Missing Title

Container list

Scope and Content Note

The papers contain primarily court transcripts and other legal documents, most prepared by Harry Weinberger, chief attorney for Berkman and Emma Goldman, reflecting Berkman's involvement with No Conscription League, his battle against extradition to California in connection with the Mooney-Billings bombing case, his and Emma Goldman's trial for violating the Draft Act by advising resistance, and their unsuccessful attempts to prevent deportation. Includes transcripts of several speeches by Berkman, a speech (1917) by Leonard D. Abbot opposing conscription, and a speech (1919) by Emma Goldman in honor of Kate Richards O'Hare; and undated portions of manuscripts of Berkman's "What is Communist Anarchism" (1929) and "Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist" (1912).

Subjects

Organizations

No-Conscription Fellowship

Genres

Transcripts.; Speeches.; Legal documents.

People

O'Hare, Kate Richards, 1877-1948; Mooney, Thomas J., 1882-1942; Goldman, Emma, 1869-1940; Billings, Warren K., 1893-1972; Abbot, Leonard Dalton, 1878-1953; Weinberger, Harry, 1888-; Turkel, Pauline (Role: Donor); Lohf, Kenneth A. (Role: Donor); Issawi, Charles (Role: Donor)

Topics

Anarchism -- United States.; Communism -- United States.; Draft resisters |z United States.

Donors

Issawi, Charles; Lohf, Kenneth A.; Turkel, Pauline

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials in this collection, which were created in 1917-1919, are in the public domain. Permission to publish or reproduce is not required.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date; Collection name; Collection number; box number; folder number;
Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012, New York University Libraries.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Pauline Turkel through Professor Charles Issawi and Kenneth A. Lohf of Columbia University, 1975. The accession number associated with this gift is 1975.002.

Collection processed by

Tamiment staff

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 16:49:12 -0400.

Language: Description is in English.

Processing Information

Decisions regarding arrangement, description, and physical interventions for this collection prior to 2021 are unknown.

In 2021, narrative description was revised in the biographical note to edit harmful language regarding suicide. Changes were made based on the Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide.

Revisions to this Guide

December 2021: Edited by Anna Björnsson McCormick to revise harmful language regarding suicide

Edition of this Guide

This version was derived from TAM 67 Berkman template.doc

Repository

Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives

Papers

Anonymous Letter to William G. McAdoo, Secretary of the Treasury (vs. Liberty Bonds; probably not by AB), May 31, 1917

Box: 1, Folder: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

As We Approach the Coming Municipal Elections..., ca.1917, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 1A (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Case of Margaret and Jeannette Roy, Scotch Descent, Brought from Seattle to Ellis Island, Jul 12, 1919

Box: 1, Folder: 2 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Deportation Hearings (Berkman & Goldman): Stenographer's Minutes, Dec 8, 1919

Box: 1, Folder: 3 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Kate Richards O'Hare Testimonial Dinner, NYC: Address of Emma Goldman, Nov 17, 1919

Box: 1, Folder: 4 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

London, Meyer: Letter to [photocopy], Jan 1, 1913, undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 4A (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Miscellaneous, 1917-1919, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 5 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Mooney Case: Transcripts of Testimony, Speech by W. Bourke Cockran, 1917-1919, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 6 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

No Conscription League, 1917 , undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 7 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Box: Shared Tamiment 043 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist: Chapters 17-28 (pp. 144-291). Typescript, undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 8 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist: Chapters 29-47 (pp. 292-456). Typescript, undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 9 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Rough Draft of an Article to Be Released by E.B., undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 10 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Schwartz, Jacob: Memorial Meeting - Transcript, Oct 26, 1918

Box: 1, Folder: 11 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Speech (by AB) at No Conscription League Meeting, Hunts Point Palace, NYC, Jun 14, 1917

Box: 1, Folder: 12 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Telegrams Sent During Trial, 1917

Box: 1, Folder: 13 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

U.S. v Goldman & Berkman: Address of Prosecuting Attorney to Jury; Charge; Sentence, Jul 9, 1917

Box: 1, Folder: 14 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

U.S. v Goldman & Berkman: Berkman's Closing Speech, [1917], inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 15 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

U.S. v Goldman & Berkman: Memorandum, Petitions, Other Legal Documents, 1917, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 16 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

U.S. v Goldman & Berkman: Morning Session Transcript, Jul 2, 1917

Box: 1, Folder: 17 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

U.S. v Goldman & Berkman: Morning Session Transcript, Jul 3, 1917

Box: 1, Folder: 18 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

U.S. v Goldman & Berkman: Morning Session Transcript, Jul 5, 1917

Box: 1, Folder: 19 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

U.S. v Goldman & Berkman: Morning Session Transcript, Jul 9, 1917

Box: 1, Folder: 20 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

U.S. v Goldman & Berkman: Part of Jury Examination, Jun 27, 1917

Box: 1, Folder: 21 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

What is Communist Anarchism? Chapters 1-13? (pp. 1-84), undated, inclusive

Box: 1, Folder: 22 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

What is Communist Anarchism? Chapters 14-20 (pp. 85-124), undated, inclusive

Box: 2, Folder: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

What is Communist Anarchism? Chapters 14-20 (pp. 125-161), undated

Box: 2, Folder: 2 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

What is Communist Anarchism? Chapters 14-20 (pp. 182-), undated

Box: 2, Folder: 3 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 1, May 31, 1917

Box: 3, Folder: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 1A, ca. 1917

Box: 3, Folder: 2 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 2, Jul 12, 1919

Box: 3, Folder: 3 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 6, May 9, 1918

Box: 3, Folder: 4 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 8, n.d.

Box: 3, Folder: 5 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 9, n.d.

Box: 3, Folder: 6 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 12, Jul 14, 1917

Box: 3, Folder: 7 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 13, 1917

Box: 3, Folder: 8 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 14, Jul 9, 1917

Box: 3, Folder: 9 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 15, 1917

Box: 3, Folder: 10 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 17, Jul 2, 1917

Box: 3, Folder: 11 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 18, Jul 3, 1917

Box: 3, Folder: 12 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 19, Jul 5, 1917

Box: 3, Folder: 13 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 20, Jul 9, 1917

Box: 3, Folder: 14 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 21, Jun 27, 1917

Box: 3, Folder: 15 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Fragile Originals: Box 1, Folder 22, n.d.

Box: 3, Folder: 16 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)