Lucy Parsons

About the author

Parsons: Working-Class Advocate and Revolutionary

Lucy Parsons was born around 1853 in the United States. Throughout her life, she was an influential labor organizer known for her powerful speeches and revolutionary beliefs. Her exact birthday is unknown as she was born into slavery. She had a significant influence on the labor movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Parsons died in 1942, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the anarchist and labor movements. Her writings and speeches emphasized the need for a radical change in the social order, promoting both anarchism and socialism. She was a crucial part of the Industrial Workers of the World and was one of its founding members. By advocating for the working class and embracing revolutionary ideas, she made significant contributions to the field of anarchism and influenced its development throughout the 20th century.

Date of Birth: 1853

Date of Death: 1942

Country of Birth: United States

Political Ideas: Anarchism, Socialism

Quotes Available: 11

Quotes by Lucy Parsons

We are the slaves of slaves. We are exploited more ruthlessly than men.

Anarchism has but one infallible, unchangeable motto, 'Freedom.' Freedom to discover any truth, freedom to develop, to live naturally and fully.

The philosophy of anarchism is included in the word "Liberty"; yet it is comprehensive enough to include all things else that are conducive to progress.

Anarchists know that a long period of education must precede any great fundamental change in society, hence they do not believe in vote begging, nor political campaigns, but rather in the development of self-thinking individuals.

Most anarchists believe the coming change can only come through a revolution, because the possessing class will not allow a peaceful change to take place; still we are willing to work for peace at any price, except at the price of liberty.

To my mind, the struggle for liberty is too great and the few steps we have gained have been won at too great a sacrifice, for the great mass of the people of this 20th century to consent to turn over to any political party the management of our social and industrial affairs.

Each of you hungry tramps who read these lines, avail yourselves of those little methods of warfare which science has placed in the hands of the poor man, and you will become a power in this or any other land. Learn the use of explosives!

Let every dirty, lousy tramp arm himself with a revolver or a knife, and lay in wait on the steps of the palaces of the rich and stab or shoot the owners as they come out. Let us kill them without mercy, and let it be a war of extermination.

We cannot help but believe that were every law, every title deed, every court, and every police officer or soldier abolished tomorrow with one sweep, we would be better off than now.

Governments never lead; they follow progress. When the prison, stake or scaffold can no longer silence the voice of the protesting minority, progress moves on a step, but not until then.

Anarchism is the usher of science - the master of ceremonies to all forms of truth. It would remove all barriers between the human being and natural development.

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