Voltairine de Cleyre

Biography

Voltairine de Cleyre (1866–1912), an activist and writer, lent her sharp intellect and uncompromising voice to the causes of labor justice, women’s rights, and individual liberty. Resting at the Haymarket Martyrs' Monument, her memory is enshrined alongside fellow advocates who championed a more humane society.

Her essays and speeches continue to inspire those who value principled dissent, and visitors to the monument find in her story a reminder of the enduring power of conscience in public life.