Sylvia Bernstein (activist)
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Sylvia Bernstein ( Walker; November 6, 1915 – November 23, 2003) was an American civil rights activist.


Background

Sylvia Walker was born on November 6, 1915, to immigrants from Russia. She attended Central High School and
George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally-chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 by ...
.


Career

In the 1930s, she worked as secretary for the War Department. In the 1940s, she and her husband were members of the Communist party; as a result, according to their son,
Carl Bernstein Carl Milton Bernstein ( ; born February 14, 1944) is an American investigative journalist and author. While a young reporter for ''The Washington Post'' in 1972, Bernstein was teamed up with Bob Woodward, and the two did much of the original ne ...
, they were persecuted by the government. When asked by congressional panels about her party involvement, Bernstein invoked her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. In 1962, she worked as a statistician with
Resources for the Future Resources for the Future (RFF) is an American nonprofit organization, founded in 1952, that conducts independent research into environmental, energy, and natural resource issues, primarily via economics and other social sciences. Headquartered in ...
, an economic think tank. From 1964 to 1989, she worked in the gift department at Garfinckel's. She then worked for the
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
administration where she answered the correspondence of first lady
Hillary Rodham Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
. She was an active Democratic party member and was a member of Women Strike for Peace protesting nuclear weapons and the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
. She helped to desegregate District eateries, the Glen Echo amusement park and public swimming pools and playgrounds. She also campaigned on behalf of
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Julius Rosenberg (May 12, 1918 – June 19, 1953) and Ethel Rosenberg (born Greenglass; September 28, 1915 – June 19, 1953) were an American married couple who were convicted of First Chief Directorate, spying for the Soviet Union, including ...
, who were executed in 1953 for espionage.


Personal life and death

Walker was married to Alfred Bernstein, a union activist. They had three children: journalist
Carl Bernstein Carl Milton Bernstein ( ; born February 14, 1944) is an American investigative journalist and author. While a young reporter for ''The Washington Post'' in 1972, Bernstein was teamed up with Bob Woodward, and the two did much of the original ne ...
, Mary Bernstein, and Laura Bernstein. Sylvia Bernstein died aged 88 on November 23, 2003, in Washington, D.C.


See also

* Alfred Bernstein *
Carl Bernstein Carl Milton Bernstein ( ; born February 14, 1944) is an American investigative journalist and author. While a young reporter for ''The Washington Post'' in 1972, Bernstein was teamed up with Bob Woodward, and the two did much of the original ne ...
* '' Loyalties'', a memoir by Carl Bernstein on his parents' life during the McCarthy era


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernstein, Sylvia 1915 births 2003 deaths Members of the Communist Party USA George Washington University alumni American civil rights activists American women civil rights activists American trade unionists American people of Russian descent Activists from Washington, D.C.