Guide to the Anna Strunsky Walling Papers, 1900-1963

Processed by Nicole Cuadra
The Bancroft Library.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu
© 2003
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Guide to the Anna Strunsky Walling Papers, 1900-1963

Collection number: BANC MSS C-H 95

The Bancroft Library



University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, California

Contact Information:

Collection Processed By:
Nicole Cuadra
Date Completed:
August 2004
Finding Aid written by:
Nicole Cuadra and completed by Alison E. Bridger
© 2003 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Collection Summary

Collection Title: Anna Strunsky Walling papers,
Date (inclusive): 1900-1963
Collection Number: BANC MSS C-H 95
Creator: Walling, Anna Strunsky, 1879-
Extent: Number of containers: 2 boxes Linear feet: 0.6
Repository: The Bancroft Library
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Abstract: Contains correspondence, writings, clippings, programs, brochures and ephemera, concerning the life and career of Anna Strunsky Walling. Correspondence is with friends and associates in the social and political movements in which she was active, including Emma Goldman, Jack London, Selig Perlman, and Upton Sinclair. Writings include manuscripts of her book "Violette of Père Lachaise," articles and speeches addressing the social revolution and a microfilm copy of "Revolutionary lives: Russia-1906." Also includes correspondence of her husband William English Walling including a letter from Upton Sinclair, and their daughter Rosamond Walling.
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Languages Represented: English

Information for Researchers

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Anna Strunsky Walling papers, BANC MSS C-H 95, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Related Collections

Anna Strunsky Walling papers, 1880-1968. In Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library (MS 1111).
William English Walling papers, 1871-1962. In State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.

Separated Material

Printed materials have been transferred to the book collection of The Bancroft Library.
Photographs have been transferred to the Pictorial Collections of The Bancroft Library (BANC PIC 1958.006--PIC and BANC PIC 1959.068--PIC)

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Walling, Anna Strunsky, 1879--Archives.
Walling, Rosamond--Correspondence.
Walling, William English, 1877-1936--Correspondence.
Socialism.
Socialists--United States.
Russia--History--Revolution, 1905-1907.
Soviet Union--History--Revolution, 1917-1921.
Letters.
Manuscripts for publication.
Notebooks.
Addresses.
Clippings.
Walling, Rosamond.
Walling, William English, 1877-1936.
Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968.
Goldman, Emma, 1869-1940.
London, Jack, 1876-1916.
Perlman, Selig, 1888-.

Administrative Information

Provenance

The Anna Strunsky Walling papers were given to The Bancroft Library by Anna Strunsky Walling in 1958. Additions were made in 1959 and 1961. The original manuscript of Revolutionary Lives: Russia-1906 was returned to Strunsky Walling at her request, June 5, 1963. Collection title changed from "Strunsky-Walling collection" in 2004.

Biographical Information

Anna Strunsky Walling

Anna Strunsky Walling was born in Babinots, Russia, March 21, 1877. She emigrated with her family to the United States at the age of nine, residing in New York City. In 1893 the family relocated to San Francisco, where Anna joined the Socialist Labor Party at the age of 16(?), and remained committed to socialism her entire life. Between 1896 and 1898 Anna studied at Stanford University and in 1903 published her first book, The Kempton-Wace Letters, co-authored with her close friend Jack London. In 1906 Anna and her sister Rose joined William English Walling in Russia as correspondents for his revolutionary news bureau. From February 6th to February 8th of that year Anna reported on the Homel, Russia massacre. Anna and William married in Paris on June 28th, 1906. Returning to the United States at the end of the year, Anna continued to work on her writing. Her second book, Violette of Père Lachaise, was published in 1919. Anna and William divorced in 1932, William having secured the paperwork in Mexico. Anna, ever committed to socialist ideals, continued to write and lecture for the remainder of her life. She died on February 25th, 1964 in New York. She was survived by her four children.

Scope and Content of Collection

The Anna Strunsky Walling papers consists of correspondence, writings, clippings, programs, brochures and ephemera concerning the life and career of Anna Strunsky Walling, her husband William English Walling, and one of their children, Rosamond Walling. This collection spans the years 1900-1963.
The bulk of the records are made up of Anna Strunsky Walling's correspondence from a large number of well-known friends and comrades. Her correspondents include Emma Goldman, Jack London and Selig Perlman. Correspondence belonging to William English Walling including a letter from Upton Sinclair, and Rosamond Walling is also found in the collection.
The writings of Anna Strunsky Walling include manuscripts of her book Violette of Père Lachaise, articles and speeches addressing the social revolution and a microfilm copy of her unpublished book Revolutionary Lives: Russia-1906. Three notebooks are also included.
The remainder of the collection consists of miscellaneous clippings, programs, brochures and ephemera, for both Anna Strunsky Walling and William English Walling.
Microfilm is also available for Revolutionary Lives: Russia-1906 (BANC MSS C-H 95 FILM), 3 letters from Selig Perlman, 1937, 1957 & 1959 (BANC MSS C-H 95 FILM), 2 letters from Upton Sinclair, 1914 & 1938 (BANC MSS X-X FILM 5), 3 notebooks, 1903-1904, 1958 (BANC MSS C-H 95 FILM)

Box 1, folders 1-9

SERIES 1: Correspondence, 1900-1963

Arrangement

Arranged hierarchically.

Scope and Content Note

This series includes incoming and outgoing correspondence of Anna Strunsky Walling, as well as her husband William English Walling, and their daughter Rosamond Walling.
Box 1, folders 1-6

Series 1.1: Anna Strunsky Walling, 1900-1963

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically

Scope and Content Note

Includes her incoming letters from a large number of well known friends and comrades, as well as letters from her children and a small number of outgoing letters.
 

Incoming

box 1, folder 1

A-H, 1915-1958

box 1, folder 2

I-Q, 1900-1959

Scope and Content Note

Selig Perlman letters also available on microfilm
box 1, folder 3

R-Z, 1910-1963

Scope and Content Note

Upton Sinclair letter also available on microfilm
box 1, folder 4

From her children, 1953-1958

box 1, folder 5

Unidentified letters, 1911-1955

box 1, folder 6

Outgoing, 1908-1958

Box 1, folders 8-9

Series 1.2: William English Walling, 1901-1937

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetical and chronological

Scope and Content Note

Includes a small number of his incoming letters, including one from Upton Sinclair and a small number of outgoing letters to his parents.
box 1, folder 8

Incoming, 1906-1937

Scope and Content Note

Upton Sinclair letter also available on microfilm
box 1, folder 9

Outgoing to his parents, 1901-1904

Box 1, folder 7

Series 1.3: Rosamond Walling, undated

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically

Scope and Content Note

Consists of two incoming letters to Rosamond Walling, including one from John Dos Passos.
box 1, folder 7

Incoming, undated

Box 1, folders 10-14 and Box 2, folders 1-2

SERIES 2: Writings, 1903-1958

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically.

Scope and Content Note

Includes manuscripts of her book Violette of Père Lachaise, for articles and speeches addressing the social revolution, three notebooks and a microfilm copy of Revolutionary Lives: Russia-1906.
 

Manuscripts

 

Revolutionary lives: Russia-1906 [copy], undated

Scope and Content Note

Only available on mircofilm
box 1, folder 10-13

Violette of Père Lachaise , undated

Scope and Content Note

In three parts and fragments
box 1, folder 14

A-Z, undated

box 2, folder 1

Untitled manuscripts, undated

box 2, folder 2

Notebooks, 1958

Scope and Content Note

Also available on mircofilm
Box 2, folders 3-7

SERIES 3: Clippings, programs, brochures and ephemera, 1903-1960

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

Relating to the careers of Anna Strunsky Walling and William English Walling.
Box 2, 2-6

Series 3.1: Anna Strunsky Walling, 1903-1960

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically

Scope and Content Note

Contains clippings, printed works, programs, brochures and ephemera relating to her career.
box 2, folder 3-4

Clippings and printed works, 1905-1960

box 2, folder 5

Programs and Brochures, 1917-1959

box 2, folder 6

Ephemera, 1903-1959

Box 2, folder 7

Series 3.2: William English Walling, 1914-1959

Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically

Scope and Content Note

Contains clippings, programs, brochures and ephemera relating to his career, and transcripts of memorials given at his death.
box 2, folder 7

Ephemera, 1914-1959