Rebel Cinderella: From Rags to Riches to Radical, the Epic Journey of Rose Pastor Stokes

In the political ferment of early 20th century New York City, when socialists and reformers battled sweatshops, and writers and artists thought a new world was being born, an immigrant Jewish woman from Russia appeared in the Yiddish press, in Carnegie Hall, and at rallies. Her name was Rose Pastor Stokes, and she fought for socialism, contraception and workers’ rights.

What set her apart was not just the strength of her speeches or the passion of her commitments, but her marriage to James Graham Phelps Stokes, the wealthy Episcopalian son of one of the oldest and most elite families in the United States. Over the course of their marriage they lived in an apartment on the Lower East Side, a private island in Long Island Sound, and a townhouse in Greenwich Village.

The book Rebel Cinderella: From Rags to Riches to Radical, the Epic Journey of Rose Pastor Stokes by Adam Hochschild (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020) explores her life, her marriage, and the political currents that she navigated in her journey from immigrant cigar worker to celebrity activist. The compelling cast of characters in Rebel Cinderella includes Eugene Debs, Emma Goldman, Margaret Sanger, and John Reed.

Business & Labor, Gender & Sexuality, Immigration, Interviews, Podcasts, Progressive EraGuest UserJuly 2, 2021Comment