Alexander Berkman Sentencing (1892)

Mon Sep 19, 1892

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On this day in 1892, across the span of just four hours, American anarchist Alexander Berkman was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 21 years in prison for attempting to assassinate capitalist Henry Clay Frick.

Alexander Berkman (1870 - 1936) was a leading member of the anarchist movement in the early 20th century, famous for both his political activism and his writing. He was also the partner of Emma Goldman, another leading figure of the anarchist movement.

In 1892, Berkamn, Goldman, and his cousin Modest Aronstam conspired to assassinate Henry Clay Frick, an anti-union factory manager and antagonist of the Homestead Strike. Berkman’s plan was to assassinate Frick and then kill himself; Goldman was to explain Berkman’s motives after his death; Aronstam was to follow Berkman in the event that he failed in his mission.

The mission failed and Berkman was arrested. On September 19th, 1892, across the span of just four hours, Berkman was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 21 years in prison, of which he served 14. His experiences in prison were the basis of his first book, “Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist”, a staple of anarchist literature today.