Sylvia Bernstein (née 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 Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

. She attended Central High School and

George Washington University , mottoeng = "God is Our Trust" , established = , type = Private federally chartered research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.8 billion (2022) , preside ...

Career

In the 1930s, she worked as secretary for the

War Department War Department may refer to: * War Department (United Kingdom) * United States Department of War (1789–1947) See also * War Office, a former department of the British Government * Ministry of defence * Ministry of War * Ministry of Defence * Dep ...

. In the 1940s, she and her husband were members of the

Communist party A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of ''The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. A ...

; 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 new ...

, 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 Garfinckel's was a prominent department store chain based in Washington, D.C. that catered to a clientele of wealthy consumers. Its flagship store at 14th and F in the city's F Street shopping district is listed on the National Register. It file ...

. She then worked for the

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

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, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States senat ...

. She was an active

Democratic party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

member and was a member of

Women Strike for Peace Women Strike for Peace (WSP, also known as Women for Peace) was a women's peace activist group in the United States. In 1961, nearing the height of the Cold War, around 50,000 women marched in 60 cities around the United States to demonstrate aga ...

protesting nuclear weapons and the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

. 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 (; September 28, 1915 – June 19, 1953) were American citizens who were convicted of spying on behalf of the Soviet Union. The couple were convicted of providing top-secret i ...

, who were executed in 1953 for espionage.

Personal life and death

Walker was married to

Alfred Bernstein Alfred David Bernstein (April 9, 1911 – February 28, 2003) was an American civil rights and union activist. Background Alfred David Bernstein was born on April 9, 1911, in New York City. He obtained two degrees from Columbia University, inc ...

, a union activist. They had three children: journalist

, Mary Bernstein, and Laura Bernstein. Sylvia Bernstein died aged 88 on November 23, 2003, in Washington, DC.

References

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