A Beautiful Idea

History of the Freedom Press Anarchists

de Rob Ray

Freedom Press is the oldest anarchist publishing house in the English-speaking world. Founded in 1886, the press has weathered wars, police raids, fascist attacks and innumerable internal crises while publishing some of the world’s most important libertarian thinkers, from Peter Kropotkin and Emma Goldman to Colin Ward and Murray Bookchin. 2018 marks 50 years since the Press bought its current home in Angel Alley, and to celebrate the occasion is publishing A Beautiful Idea, attempting to draw out a narrative from its densely-packed history.