Stokes, Rose Pastor, 1879-1933

Rose Pastor Stokes was a Communist and an editor, lecturer, and author.

From the description of Letter, 1914. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 232007901

Social worker, reformer, and author.

From the description of Playscripts of Rose Pastor Stokes, 1913-1915. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71068623

Rose Pastor Stokes was a factory worker from 1890-1902, and a journalist from 1903-1905. In 1917-1918, she opposed the entry of the United States into World War I, and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for seditious utterances. From 1919-1933, Stokes assisted in the organization of the Communist Party of the United States. In 1922 she was a delegate to the Fourth Congress of the Comintern in the U.S.S.R.

From the description of Rose Pastor Stokes papers, 1900-1993 (inclusive). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702179781

From the description of Rose Pastor Stokes papers, 1900-1993 (inclusive). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122562629

Rose Pastor Stokes was a controversial and widely published socialist and communist. Born in Russian Poland in 1879, Stokes immigrated in 1882 to England and in 1890 to the United States where she worked in a cigar factory. In 1903 she became an assistant to the editor of the Jewish Daily News in New York. In 1905 she married James Graham Phelps Stokes, a wealthy socialist and reformer. By 1912 Stokes was an active socialist participating in labor actions in New York City and writing proletarian plays and poetry. In 1918 she was sentenced to ten years in prison under the Espionage Act but the conviction was overturned on appeal in 1921. During this period she became a member of the Communist Party and in 1922 was an American delegate to the Fourth Congress of the Communist International in Moscow. In 1925 she and James were divorced and two years later she married Jerome Isaac Romaine. She died in 1933 of cancer.

From the description of Papers, 1905-1933. (New York University). WorldCat record id: 17269318

Rose Pastor Stokes was a factory worker from 1890-1902, and a journalist from 1903-1905. In 1917-1918, she opposed the entry of the United States into World War I, and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for seditious utterances. From 1919-1933, Stokes assisted in the organization of the Communist Party of the United States. In 1922 she was a delegate to the Fourth Congress of the Comintern in the U.S.S.R.

Rose Pastor Stokes (1879-1933), born in Augustowe, Poland, immigrated to the United States in 1890. For the next twelve years she worked in a Cleveland cigar factory during the day and followed a program of self-education at night. In 1903 she moved to New York City and became a feature writer for the Jewish Daily News . Soon after her arrival in New York, she interviewed the young millionaire socialist, James Graham Phelps Stokes. Out of this interview grew the romance which culminated in their marriage July 18, 1905. In the years that followed, Rose Pastor Stokes became known as a radical and a political activist. Aligned with the socialist movement at the beginning of her career, she moved steadily to the left, ultimately becoming a member of the American Communist Party. Her increasingly radical activities led to an estrangement with her husband, however, and in 1925 Stokes obtained a divorce from his wife. Rose was married again in 1927 to Jerome Isaac Romaine, a communist activist. She died in Germany in 1933 while undergoing treatment for cancer.

The following biographical sketch was written by John M. Whitcomb, who donated these papers to Yale. Additional information on Rose Pastor Stokes may be found in the Dictionary of American Biography .

ROSE HARRIET PASTOR

Born July 18, 1879 in Augustowe, Poland.

Removed to London, England in 1882.

Removed to Cleveland, Ohio, 1890.

Removed to New York City in 1903; worked for JEWISH DAILY NEWS.

Married to James Graham Phelps Stokes July 18, 1905.

Divorced from Mr. Stokes in 1925.

Remarried to Jerome Isaac Romaine in 1927.

Died in Germany June 20, 1933.

1. Childhood, years until marriage: Covered by uncompleted autobiography.

2. Years 1903-1905 in New York City working for JEWISH DAILY NEWS; friendship formed with Israel Zevin of the newspaper staff.

3. Early married life at "Caritas Island", Stamford and 88 Grove Street, New York City:

Worked as a lecturer for the INTERCOLLEGIATE SOCIALIST SOCIETY which was organized by Jack London, Upton Sinclair and Graham Stokes; lecture tours went to many campuses of the United States and many friendships were formed during these travels (which were also conducted by Graham Stokes). As a result, many active socialists, some active anarchists and syndicalists (I.W.W.) were guests at "Caritas Island". Other visitors included liberals, literary figures of the time. A noteworthy guest was Maxim Gorky in 1906; he apparently came with Leroy and Miriam Finn Scott and Mrs. Scott acted as an interpreter because she, herself, was Russian.

Graham Stokes "built with his own hands" two small houses on the island; these were for his friends from his days at the University Settlement House in New York City - Leroy Scott and English (William English) Walling. The Scott house is still standing. Walling was the joint founder of the N.A.A.C.P., following a trip to Springfield, Illinois, where he witnessed a Negro lynching.

During these years Mrs. Stokes was active in organizing the hotel workers and dressmakers in N.Y.C. She was in demand as an agitational speaker. She was also very much involved in birth-control activities with Margaret Sanger and Emma Goldman. As a prominent woman of the time, she was asked to join the HETERODOXY SOCIETY; this organization included many prominent women from cultural activities, and was not limited to people active in the socialist movement. Mrs. Stokes wrote several plays during these years; one of these, "The Woman Who Wouldn't", was presented by the Washington Square Players. She also contributed to such publications as The Masses (Editor, Max Eastman).

During the year 1913, Mrs. Stokes worked in behalf of Patrick Quinlan who had been sentenced to prison during the Paterson (N.J.) strike. Persons of note associated with this period of Mrs. Stokes' life, letters from and to whom included in the collection were:

William English Walling (Socialist, lecturer, writer, N.A.A.C.P.)

Miriam Finn Scott (L.S., novelist, Socialist)

Eugene V. Debs

Upton Sinclair (writer, I.S.S., Socialist)

Olive Tilford Dargan (poetess, novelist in 1930's under name of Fielding Burke: "Call Home the Heart": devoted friend of RPS; now 100 years old)

Horace Traubel (poet, biographer and friend of Walt Whitman, publisher of the "Conservator")

Leonard Abbott (professional Anarchist, associate of Emma Goldman, publisher, associated with the Ferrer Center)

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn (I.W.W. organizer, common-law wife of the anarchist leader, Carlo Tresca; died in Moscow as Chairman of the Communist Party of U.S. in 1960's; spent a summer with her infant son on "Caritas Island" as guest of Graham and RPS; active in defense of Sacco and Vanzetti)

Lilian Wald (Director of Henry Street Settlement House, N.Y.C.)

Rose Strunsky (Lorwin) (L.L., Socialist, writer on economics, syndicalism, etc.)

Kate Barnard (Commissioner of Charities for Oklahoma)

Harry W. Laidler (Secretary of Intercollegiate Socialist Society which later changed its name to League for Industrial Democracy) (see folder "Political Organizations: Intercollegiate Socialist Society, Harry W. Laidler")

Paula Jakobi (H. Society) (see folder: "Medical Matters")

Ida Rauh (wife of Max Eastman)

Max Eastman (writer, supporter and translator of works of Leon Trotsky, attended Debs' trial with RPS, editor of The Masses .)

Seymour Stedman (lawyer, National Executive Committee of Socialist Party, defender of people prosecuted for sedition during WWI)

George Strobell (Socialist, brother-in-law of Henry Demarest Lloyd, helped organize I.S.S.0) (see "Patrick Quinlan Legal Case")

Arturo Giovannitti (Anarchist, poet, involved in Lawrence strike, 1912)

Ben Reitman (Anarchist, common-law husband of Emma Goldman) (see "Mother Earth Publishing Co." folder)

Albert Rhys Williams (Socialist, minister, war correspondent for "Outlook", 1917, "Through the Russian Revolution")

Oswald Garrison Villard (Editor of the "Nation")

4. Years 1917-1918, opposes entry of U.S. into World War I, sentenced to 10 year prison term for seditious utterances; Debs trial and sentence to prison.

Mabel D. Curry (wife of Socialist professor in Terre Haute, Ind.; devoted friend of E. V. Debs whom she visited at Atlanta Penitentiary; RPS notes "Debs was in love with her")

5. Years 1919-1933:

Assisted in the organization of the Communist Party of U.S.; attended Bridgeman, Michigan secret convention in 1922, for which she was subject to prosecution under Michigan laws; delegate to the 4th Congress of the Comintern in Leningrad and Moscow, Nov.-Dec. 1922, at which she acted as "Reporter for the Negro Commission", presided over by G. Safarov - the documents covering this episode are in the collection, where Mrs. Stokes used the cover name of "Sacha".

During this period Mrs. Stokes appears to have been an organizer and worker for the Communist Party. Her health began to fail and she withdrew from active party work about the time of her divorce in 1925. She became interested in drawing and exhibited at the SOCIETY OF INDEPENDENT ARTISTS in N.Y.C. in 1925; a portrait called "Anna" was done by her and illustrated in the catalogue of the exhibit; apparently she was encouraged by the artist Gibran, who wrote The Prophet .

After her divorce from Graham Stokes, Mrs. Stokes lived, for a time, with Jeanette Pearl, who I believe to have once been the common-law wife of Louis Fraina, early leader of the Communist Party of the U.S. (Fraina changed his name to Lewis Corey and was, for many years, a professor at Antioch College, during which time he wrote a number of books on political and economic affairs.) In 1927, Mrs. Stokes married Jerome I. Romaine, a language teacher who later edited the Communist magazine, Political Affairs (he had once been the husband of Frances Winwar, Pulitzer Prize winner with her biographical novel Poor Splendid Wings ). Romaine changed his name to Victor J. Jerome. Mrs. Stokes called herself Mrs. J. I. Romaine when she resided in New York City, but when living in her cottage in Westport, Connecticut, she retained the name Rose Pastor Stokes. In 1933 she died of cancer while being treated in a clinic in Germany. A memorial service, with political overtones, was held in New York City (see documents), under-written by many people of prominence.

Jeanette Pearl

Maximilian Cohen (Communist dentist, party organizer)

Scott Nearing (onetime Communist candidate for Governor of New Jersey, prolific writer with a left-wing slant)

Alexander Bittleman (Communist Party professional, writer)

Max Bedacht (Communist Party professional)

Charles Ruthenberg (Secretary of the Communist Party of US.; died in 1927; ashes buried in Kremlin wall) (see "Political Organizations - Workers Party of America" folder)

Louis Boudin (Communist theorist, lawyer, writer)

Jack Carney (Irish revolutionist, associated with Irish Communist writer in Chicago - James Larkin)

Tom Mooney (sentenced for supposed involvement in 1916 San Francisco parade explosion, prisoner at San Quenton) (see Subject File: "Rose Pastor Stokes Testimonial and Concert")

From the guide to the Rose Pastor Stokes papers, 1900-1993, (Manuscripts and Archives)

Throughout the early 20th century, Rose Pastor Stokes was an extremely controversial and widely publicized socialist and communist. She was born to Jewish parents, Jacob and Anna Wieslander, on 18 July 1879.in Russian Poland. After her parents separation in 1882, her mother relocated in London's East Side and married a cigar maker named Israel Pastor, whose surname Rose took. Rose attended the Bell Lane Free School f or only two years and then assisted her mother in making satin bows for slippers.

In 1890, the Pastors came to America and settled in Cleveland, Ohio. Because of the economic plight of her family, Rose went to work, in a cigar factory. In July 1901, Rose responded to an advertisement in the Jewish Daily News requesting information from factory workers. The newspaper not only published her story, but Rose was invited to become a regular contributor. After her family moved to New York City in 1903, Rose worked as an assistant to the editor of the Jewish Daily News . Her responsibilities in this position included writing an advice column to young women in n the newspaper's English section, writing sketches and human interest features about the East Side of New York, and submitting short verses and editorials.

In July 1903, Rose was sent to interview James Graham Phelps Stokes, a wealthy resident of the University Settlement House. Impressed by his dedication to socialism and reform, Rose became a close friend of Stokes and eventually the friendship turned to love. The couple married on 18 July 1905 and, after a European honeymoon, they rented an apartment near the University Settlement.

Although initially committed to settlement work, the Stokes' gradually turned their attention to socialist endeavors. In September 1905, James helped form the Intercollegiate Socialist Society, an organization dedicated to promoting the study of socialism among college students and faculty members. During the following year, James and Rose became members of the Socialist Party and worked diligently for various socialist activities and causes.

By 1912, James began to devote less of his time to socialism and more to research and writing. Rose, on the other hand, began to emerge as an effective socialist and labor leader. In May and June of 1912, Rose helped to lead a strike by the New York City restaurant and hotel workers and, in the winter of 1913, she aided the New York garment workers in their bitter strike. During this period, Rose also began to devote considerable time to writing proletarian plays and poetry. In 1916, she wrote The Women Who Wouldn't which was a play about the rise of a woman labor leader. Rose also contributed numerous poems and articles to such publications as The Masses, Independent, and Century .

Rose's artistic accomplishments did not detract from her social crusades. Foremost among Rose's causes at this time was her campaign in 1915 and 1916 to overturn the conviction of a labor leader, Patrick Quinlan, who had been arrested for his participation in the Paterson silk workers strike. Eventually, Rose and her supporters were able to overturn Quinlan's conviction. Another cause which occupied a considerable amount of Rose's time was the fight to distribute birth control information. While engaged in this campaign, Rose organized meetings for Margaret Sanger and Emma Goldman, both of whom were frequently arrested for lecturing on contraception.

When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, Rose and James were among those who withdrew from the Socialist Party because of its anti?war position. For James the separation from the Socialist Party was permanent, but Rose changed her mind after the Russian Revolution of 1917 and was readmitted to the party in February 1918. In March 1918, Rose was indicted under the Espionage Act for making the following statement to the Kansas City Women's Dining Club:

While her case was still pending in the courts, Rose became involved in the Socialist Party's "Left Wing Caucus" disputes. Obviously sympathetic with the left wing of the Michigan branch and the foreign language locals, Rose withdrew from the Socialist Party for the second time and became a founding member of the Communist Party. In 1922, Rose traveled to Moscow as an American delegate to the Fourth Congress of the Communist International. During these proceedings, Rose served as the reporter for the special Negro Commission. Upon her return to the United States, Rose was elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the newly formed Workers' Party. It was at this time that Rose adopted the pseudonym "Sasha".

Rose's marriage was jeopardized as a result of her activities with the communists. On 17 October 1925, James was granted an interlocutory decree of divorce, thus setting the two political opponents free to pursue their own careers. Two years later, Rose married Jerome Isaac Romaine (also known as Victor J. Jerome), a language teacher and an active communist. Following the marriage, Rose retained the name of Stokes and continued her controversial activities with the Communist Party. In 1930, Rose learned that she had cancer and thus retired to Westport, Connecticut. Upon learning about Rose's physical condition, many of her communist friends raised funds to send her to Europe for medical treatment. While being treated for the disease in a Frankfurt am Main municipal hospital, Rose Pastor Stokes died on 20 June 1933.

From the guide to the Rose Pastor Stokes Papers, 1905-1933, (Tamiment Library / Wagner Archives)

Throughout the early 20th century, Rose Pastor Stokes was an extremely controversial and widely publicized socialist and communist. She was born to Jewish parents, Jacob and Anna Wieslander, on 18 July 1879 in Russian Poland. After her parents' separation in 1882, her mother relocated in London's East Side and married a cigar maker named Israel Pastor, whose surname Rose took. Rose attended the Bell Lane Free School for only two years and then assisted her mother in making satin bows for slippers.

In 1890, the Pastors came to America and settled in Cleveland, Ohio. Because of the economic plight of her family Rose went to work, in a cigar factory. In July 1901, Rose responded to an advertisement in the Jewish Daily News requesting information from factory workers. The newspaper not only published her story, but Rose was invited to become a regular contributor. After her family moved to New York City in 1903, Rose worked as an assistant to the editor of the Jewish Daily News . Her responsibilities in this position included writing an advice column to young women in the newspaper's English section, writing sketches and human interest features about the East Side of New York, and submitting short verses and editorials.

In July 1903, Rose was sent to interview James Graham Phelps Stokes, a wealthy resident of the University Settlement House. Impressed by his dedication to socialism and reform, Rose became a close friend of Stokes and eventually the friendship turned to love. The couple married on July 18th 1905 and, after a European honeymoon, they rented an apartment near the University Settlement.

Although initially committed to settlement work, the Stokes' gradually turned their attention to socialist endeavors. In September 1905, James helped form the Intercollegiate Socialist Society, an organization dedicated to promoting the study of socialism among college students and faculty members. During the following year, James and Rose became members of the Socialist Party and worked diligently for various socialist activities and causes.

By 1912, James began to devote less of his time to socialism and more to research and writing. Rose, on the other hand, began to emerge as an effective socialist and labor leader. In May and June of 1912, Rose helped to lead a strike by the New York City restaurant and hotel workers and, in the winter of 1913, she aided the New York garment workers in their bitter strike. During this period, Rose also began to devote considerable time to writing proletarian plays and poetry. In 1916, she wrote The Women Who Wouldn't which was a play about the rise of a woman labor leader. Rose also contributed numerous poems and articles to such publications as The Masses, Independent, and Century .

Rose's artistic accomplishments did not detract from her social crusades. Foremost among Rose's causes at this time was her campaign in 1915 and 1916 to overturn the conviction of a labor leader, Patrick Quinlan, who had been arrested for his participation in the Paterson silk workers strike. Eventually, Rose and her supporters were able to overturn Quinlan's conviction. Another cause which occupied a considerable amount of Rose's time was the fight to distribute birth control information. While engaged in this campaign, Rose organized meetings for Margaret Sanger and Emma Goldman, both of whom were frequently arrested for lecturing on contraception.

When the United States entered World War I in April 1917, Rose and James were among those who withdrew from the Socialist Party because of its anti-war position. For James the separation from the Socialist Party was permanent, but Rose changed her mind after the Russian Revolution of 1917 and was readmitted to the party in February 1918. In March 1918, Rose was indicted under the Espionage Act for making the following statement to the Kansas City Women's Dining Club: "No government which is for the profiteers can be also for the people, and I am for the people, while the government is for the profiteers." On 1 June 1918, Rose was found guilty and sentenced to ten years in the Missouri State Penitentiary. In March 1920, an appeals court reversed her conviction and, in November 1921, the case was dismissed.

While her case was still pending in the courts, Rose became involved in the Socialist Party's "Left Wing Caucus" disputes. Obviously sympathetic with the left wing of the Michigan branch and the foreign language locals, Rose withdrew from the Socialist Party for the second time and became a founding member of the Communist Party. In 1922, Rose traveled to Moscow as an American delegate to the Fourth Congress of the Communist International. During these proceedings, Rose served as the reporter for the special Negro Commission. Upon her return to the United States, Rose was elected to serve on the Executive Committee of the newly formed Workers' Party. It was at this time that Rose adopted the pseudonym "Sasha".

Rose's marriage was jeopardized as a result of her activities with the communists. On 17 October 1925, James was granted an interlocutory decree of divorce, thus setting the two political opponents free to pursue their own careers. Two years later, Rose married Jerome Isaac Romaine (also known as Victor J. Jerome), a language teacher and an active communist. Following the marriage, Rose retained the name of Stokes and continued her controversial activities with the Communist Party. In 1930, Rose learned that she had cancer and thus retired to Westport, Connecticut. Upon learning about Rose's physical condition, many of her communist friends raised funds to send her to Europe for medical treatment. While being treated for the disease in a Frankfurt am Main municipal hospital, Rose Pastor Stokes died on 20 June 1933.

From the guide to the Rose Pastor Stokes Papers, Bulk, 1913-1933, 1905-1933, (Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archive)