Lucy Parsons is not a woman celebrated in many mainstream history textbooks, but to many working-class Americans she was a hero, fighting for their rights at a time of robber barons and great wealth inequality. Parsons is a controversial figure because she advocated for direct action, at times espousing violence against the institutions of the rich and powerful. Some also see betrayal in her denial of her origins: she had been enslaved but told the story that she came from Native American and Mexican origins. What’s certain is that Parsons was bold and brave and spoke so widely championing workers’ rights that hers was a household name in America.
