Red Scare Resistance

Lillian Wald, 1867 – 1940

"It is a basic fact that you cannot build up any social structure on hatred and suspicion."

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Wald had been labeled a "radical" on many occasions—for her peace work during World War I, for her endorsement of Socialist candidates, for her association with radicals like Emma Goldman, for her defense of immigrant "aliens" and even for her neighborhood's celebration of the success of the Russian Revolution. In 1919, however, in the wake of the American reaction to the rise of communism, Wald, with sixty-one other women and men, was listed in a document presented to the U.S. Judiciary which pointed to those who supposedly supported the German cause before WWI. The "Who's Who in Pacifism" cited Wald as an "undesirable citizen" who was suspected of "pro-Bolshevik" sentiments. Nevertheless, Wald accepted an invitation to see communist Russia for herself. In 1924, she and several colleagues visited Russia as guests of the government to discuss public health and child welfare. She returned with a strong suggestion for the U.S. government to formally recognize Russia, as "a step of vital importance in our hope for better understanding and cooperation between the nations of the world."