Rose Pastor Stokes (1879–1933,) born Rose Harriet Wieslander, was an American socialist activist, writer, and feminist known for advocating labor rights, birth control, and political reform. A key figure in early 20th-century radical movements, she challenged economic inequality and gender oppression.
Born in Augustów, Russian Empire (now Poland,) she immigrated to London before settling in Cleveland, Ohio (1891.) She worked in a cigar factory for over a decade, supporting her family while developing a passion for writing and activism.
In 1903, she moved to New York to work for Jewish Daily News, gaining recognition for her socialist views. Her marriage to J.G. Phelps Stokes (1905,) a wealthy Episcopalian philanthropist, shocked New York high society, as she remained dedicated to working-class struggles.
Stokes co-founded the Communist Party of America (1919) and actively supported labor strikes, birth control access, and anti-war efforts. She wrote poetry, plays, and political essays, including I Belong to the Working Class (1992,) an unfinished autobiography.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Rose Pastor Stokes
Some pray to marry the man they love, my prayer will somewhat vary; I humbly pray to Heaven above that I love the man I marry.
—Rose Pastor Stokes
Topics: Marriage, Husbands
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