Anna Louise Strong
Anna Louise Strong
Full Name and Common Aliases
Anna Louise Strong was a renowned American journalist, activist, and writer who went by various aliases during her lifetime, including "La Nina" (Spanish for "The Girl") due to her early travels to Latin America.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on November 30, 1885, in Washington Territory (now Washington state), USA, Strong passed away on March 15, 1970, at the age of 84.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Anna Louise Strong was an American national with a career spanning multiple professions: journalist, activist, writer, and educator. Her dedication to social justice led her to become an outspoken advocate for various causes throughout her life.
Early Life and Background
Strong grew up in a household that valued education and travel. Her parents, John and Anna Strong, instilled in her a sense of adventure and encouraged her to explore the world. She developed a strong interest in languages, history, and culture from an early age. This foundation would later enable her to excel as a journalist and writer.
Strong's family moved frequently during her childhood, eventually settling in Seattle, Washington Territory (now Washington state). Her experiences growing up amidst social change and activism instilled in her the values of empathy, compassion, and determination that characterized her future endeavors.
Major Accomplishments
Anna Louise Strong's career was marked by numerous accomplishments. As a journalist, she covered pivotal events such as:
The Mexican Revolution (1910-1920)
The Russian Revolution (1917) and the establishment of the Soviet Union
The Chinese Revolution (1925) and its aftermath
Strong traveled extensively to gather information for her articles, earning her the nickname "La Nina." Her in-depth reporting often focused on social justice issues, labor rights, and women's empowerment.
Notable Works or Actions
Some of Strong's notable works include:
"The Mexican Revolution" (1914) - a comprehensive account of the revolutionary movements
"I Change Worlds: The Reminiscences of William English Walling" (1935) - co-authored with labor leader and activist William English Walling, detailing their experiences in international social justice movements
"The Soviet Experiment" (1925) - a detailed analysis of the early years of the Soviet Union
Strong's work was not limited to writing. She actively participated in various causes, such as:
The establishment of the first American trade union in Mexico
Women's suffrage movements in the United States and abroad
* The fight against imperialism in Asia and Latin America
Quotes by Anna Louise Strong
In point of fact all Americans are automatically turned down by China these days because of the escalation of Johnson’s war in Vietnam, which several times has intruded into China.
What the Spanish War began the World War accomplished: America became the world’s banker and ceased to be the world’s pioneer!
They say the Pharaohs built the pyramids Do you think one Pharaoh dropped one bead of sweat? We built the pyramids for the Pharaohs and we’re building for them yet.
We humans are herd animals of the monkey tribe, not natural individuals as lions are. Our individuality is partial and restless; the stream of consciousness that we call 'I' is made of shifting elements that flow from our group and back to our group again. Always we seek to be ourselves and the herd together, not One against the herd.
Thus I came to condemn capitalism, not through any oppression endured by me personally, but through that very deification of efficiency which capitalism had taught me, for its own purposes.
From this haunting feeling of being not wanted, which remained a recurrent haunt through life, I found two ways of escape, both of which in changing form also persisted. One was the invention of gods, the other was personal efficiency in work.
You got the impression that each and every little individual was feeling pretty important doing the pretty important job of building up a State . The atmosphere reminded me of a word it was ’democracy.’
It was as if I had worked for years on the wrong side of a tapestry, learning accurately all its lines and figures, yet always missing its color and sheen.