Fannia Cohn
Encyclopedia
Fannia Mary Cohn was a leading figure in the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) and the workers education movement in the United States
during the first half of the 20th century.
Cohn was born in the Russian Empire to a middle class Jewish family, and received her early education at home. She immigrated to the United States in 1904, briefly worked in a Jewish charity and then attended school. She dropped out of school and took a job as a garment worker in New York City in order to participate more directly in the labor movement. Cohn helped organize a strike among her co-workers and soon became involved in the Women's Trade Union League
, attending its training school in Chicago in 1914. In 1918 Cohn took the leadership of the ILGWU's Education Committee, and eventually rose to became Vice President of the union. She was instrumental in the formation of the Workers' Education Bureau of America
in 1921, and was part of the circle of labor intellectuals connected to Brookwood Labor College
, the Labor Age
, and other non-Communist radical initiatives of the 1920s and 1930s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the first half of the 20th century.
Cohn was born in the Russian Empire to a middle class Jewish family, and received her early education at home. She immigrated to the United States in 1904, briefly worked in a Jewish charity and then attended school. She dropped out of school and took a job as a garment worker in New York City in order to participate more directly in the labor movement. Cohn helped organize a strike among her co-workers and soon became involved in the Women's Trade Union League
Women's Trade Union League
The Women's Trade Union League was a U.S. organization of both working class and more well-off women formed in 1903 to support the efforts of women to organize labor unions and to eliminate sweatshop conditions...
, attending its training school in Chicago in 1914. In 1918 Cohn took the leadership of the ILGWU's Education Committee, and eventually rose to became Vice President of the union. She was instrumental in the formation of the Workers' Education Bureau of America
Workers' Education Bureau of America
Workers' Education Bureau of America was an organization established to assist labor colleges and other worker training centers involved in the American labor movement....
in 1921, and was part of the circle of labor intellectuals connected to Brookwood Labor College
Brookwood Labor College
Brookwood Labor College was the first residential labor college in the United States. The school was established in 1921 near Katonah, New York. The school was closely supported by affiliate unions of the American Federation of Labor until 1928, when pressure began to be exerted by the AF of L's...
, the Labor Age
Labor Age
Labor Age was a left-labor monthly magazine published by the Labor Publication Society from 1921-1933. It succeeded the Socialist Review, journal of the Intercollegiate Socialist Society. Labor Age aligned with the League for Industrial Democracy, and during 1929-33 the magazine was affiliated...
, and other non-Communist radical initiatives of the 1920s and 1930s.