In the Island Prison

While serving time on Blackwell’s Island, Emma Goldman agrees to care for the inmates in the women’s sick ward. After she’s released, she becomes a midwife for destitute women on the Lower East Side. Meanwhile, Alexander Berkman develops an intimate relationship with another prisoner.

We discuss birth control, abortion, and the late 1800s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues. We also ask a crucial question - despite Goldman and Berkman’s progressivism, were they also racist?

With guests Kathy Ferguson, Linda Gordon, Clare Hemmings, and Jacqueline Jones.