Voltairine de Cleyre (1866–1912) was an American anarchist writer, lecturer, and organiser. She is best known for her essays on individual liberty, anti-authoritarianism, feminism, free thought, and labour autonomy. Initially influenced by individualist anarchism (Tucker, Spooner), she later adopted a “no-label” or “anarchism without adjectives” position, arguing that economic schools should not divide the movement.
Her most noted works include *The Dominant Idea*, *Sex Slavery*, and *Direct Action*. She was a compelling public speaker, fluent in several languages, and corresponded widely across the international anarchist movement. Her life was marked by poverty, chronic illness, and a deep commitment to education and mutual aid; she taught immigrant workers English for free for years.
Emma Goldman called her “the most gifted and brilliant anarchist woman America ever produced.”
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