What did Emma Goldman's voice sound like?

Question

Her speeches drew crowds wherever she went in the United States. Certainly her articulate use of English is clear in her writings, but one can be a good writer and lack oration skills. I wonder if there was some quality in the way she spoke that contributed to her fame. I've heard re-enactors portraying Emma do it with an imitation accent, but don't know if there's reason to suppose she had a detectably thick accent to her contemporaries.

Answer 1

Here is a clip from late in her life, assess for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTCMcO4WTjE

Her accent at that point was not particularly thick, though certainly noticable. She also clearly knew a thing or two about voice projection and public oration, judging by how she enunciates and the tone she uses. What I like most is that she was clearly extremely quick-witted with her responses, sharp, intelligent, and concise.

(unsure if this counts as an answer of if I should make it a comment...)

Comments

Also, stick through the middle or skip to the end for her rapid-fire answers.

---

Still sharp toward the end of life! Thanks, that was great.

---

I love that clip!

"Beautiful country, minus Mussolini."

I remember hearing another clip from a speech of hers a few years ago; can't find it right now unfortunately.