Randall, Margaret, 1936-

Randall moved to Cuba from the United States in 1969 to study the status of women there.

Randall has been a poet, editor, and author. She was born in New York but spent most of her adult life in Latin America, moving from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Mexico in 1961, then to Cuba in 1969, and from there to Nicaragua in 1980, returning to Albuquerque in 1984.

Margaret Randall, American born writer, photographer, and activist was born in New York in 1936. Her life and works are grounded in action, resistance, and everyday life. Randall continues to live and write in Albuquerque, NM.

Margaret Randall, American born writer, photographer, and activist was born in New York in 1936. Randall and her family moved to Albuquerque, NM when she was 11. She attended public schools in Albuquerque. Her father taught music and her mother worked as a translator. After high school, she attended the University of New Mexico for one year.

In 1955, Randall left Albuquerque for Europe. She lived in Spain for one year, followed by a move to New York City, where she pursued her writing career and participated in the beatnik movement. Prior to this move, she divorced her first husband. In 1960, Randall moved to Mexico City with her infant son. From 1960-1969, she lived in Mexico. She co-edited the literary magazine El Corno Emplumado from 1962-1969, at different times with Harvey Wolin, Sergio Mondragón (whom she married), and Robert Cohen. Randall and Mondragón had two daughters. During their relationship, Randall also became a Mexican citizen. In 1969, Randall and Mondragón divorced. Randall had her third daughter with Robert Cohen. She tried unsuccessfully to regain her United States citizenship. Repression towards supporters of the Mexican student movement, which Randall was identified with, resulted in her going underground. She, Robert Cohen, and her four children then moved to Cuba, where they lived from 1969-1980.

In Cuba, she worked for 6 years for the Cuban Book Institute, and then as a free-lance journalist and writer. She became an oral historian and a photographer, and began focusing on women, documenting the lives and struggles of Cuban, Chilean, Peruvian, Vietnamese, and Nicaraguan women. In 1980, Randall moved to Nicaragua with her two youngest daughters, where she continued working as an oral historian, photographer, and journalist.

Randall returned to the United States (Albuquerque) in 1984, and married Floyce Alexander. She began teaching in Women's Studies and American Studies at the University of New Mexico. In 1985, Randall was denied permanent resident status by the INS under the McCarran-Walter Act, which was used to exclude people from the U.S. based on perceived adherence to "subversive" ideologies such as communism. She was told to leave the country within 30 days. The Center for Constitutional Rights took on Randall's case. Supporters formed defense committees across the United States. During this battle, she continued to teach and also began to give readings and lectures throughout the United States. She began speaking about her case and similar ones challenging the McCarren-Walters Act. In 1989, the INS decided that she had always been a U.S. citizen and she should never have been subjected to deportation hearings. Resolution of her case enabled Randall to "come out" as a lesbian, which becomes evident in her writings and teachings. Randall has also spoken and written as an incest survivor. Randall's life and works are grounded in politics, action, resistance, and everyday life. Randall continues to live and write in Albuquerque, NM.

*Biographical information excerpted from: Contemporary Lesbian Writers of the United States. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1993. Randall biography by Trisha Franzen.

Margaret Randall. Part of the Margaret Randall Pictorial Collection PICT 000-663 (Box 1, Folder 2).

Margaret Randall, American born writer, photographer, and activist was born in New York in 1936. Randall and her family moved to Albuquerque, NM when she was 11. She attended public schools in Albuquerque. Her father taught music and her mother worked as a translator. After high school, she attended the University of New Mexico for one year.

In 1955, Randall left Albuquerque for Europe. She lived in Spain for one year, followed by a move to New York City, where she pursued her writing career and participated in the beatnik movement. Prior to this move, she divorced her first husband. In 1960, Randall moved to Mexico City with her infant son. From 1960-1969, she lived in Mexico. She co-edited the literary magazine El Corno Emplumado from 1962-1969, at different times with Harvey Wolin, Sergio Mondragón (whom she married), and Robert Cohen. Randall and Mondragón had two daughters. During their relationship, Randall also became a Mexican citizen. In 1969, Randall and Mondragón divorced. Randall had her third daughter with Robert Cohen. She tried unsuccessfully to regain her United States citizenship. Repression towards supporters of the Mexican student movement, which Randall was identified with, resulted in her going underground. She, Robert Cohen, and her four children then moved to Cuba, where they lived from 1969-1980.

In Cuba, she worked for 6 years for the Cuban Book Institute, and then as a free-lance journalist and writer. She became an oral historian and a photographer, and began focusing on women, documenting the lives and struggles of Cuban, Chilean, Peruvian, Vietnamese, and Nicaraguan women. In 1980, Randall moved to Nicaragua with her two youngest daughters, where she continued working as an oral historian, photographer, and journalist.

Randall returned to the United States (Albuquerque) in 1984, and married Floyce Alexander. She began teaching in Women's Studies and American Studies at the University of New Mexico. In 1985, Randall was denied permanent resident status by the INS under the McCarran-Walter Act, which was used to exclude people from the U.S. based on perceived adherence to "subversive" ideologies such as communism. She was told to leave the country within 30 days. The Center for Constitutional Rights took on Randall's case. Supporters formed defense committees across the United States. During this battle, she continued to teach and also began to give readings and lectures throughout the United States. She began speaking about her case and similar ones challenging the McCarren-Walters Act. In 1989, the INS decided that she had always been a U.S. citizen and she should never have been subjected to deportation hearings. Resolution of her case enabled Randall to "come out" as a lesbian, which becomes evident in her writings and teachings. Randall has also spoken and written as an incest survivor. Randall's life and works are grounded in politics, action, resistance, and everyday life. Randall continues to live and write in Albuquerque, NM.

*Biographical information excerpted from: Contemporary Lesbian Writers of the United States. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1993. Randall biography by Trisha Franzen.