Theresa Malkiel: The voice of Women

Theresa Malkiel was born on the 1st of May 1874 in Russia. Her father was a goldsmith and her grandparents were rabbis. Her parents died when she was eleven years old. She then moved to live with her aunt and uncle in New York City. She became the first-ever Jewish woman to graduate from Vassar College in 1896. Theresa Malkiel never married or had children and this meant that she spent her entire life working for social justice.

She was one of the founders of the National Women’s Trade Union League. Then went on to found both the National Consumers’ League, which looked after women’s rights at work. Along with Florence Kelley, the Women’s Party of New York State.