Susan Rosenberg

Susan Rosenberg – Life, Activism, and Transformation

Learn about Susan Rosenberg (born October 5, 1955), her radical activism in the 1970s–1980s, her long imprisonment, and her later work on prison reform, writing, and social justice.

Introduction

Susan Lisa Rosenberg is an American activist, author, and advocate for social justice and prisoner rights. Born in 1955 in Manhattan, her life has encompassed radical political engagement, underground resistance, a long prison sentence, and a later commitment to activism, writing, and education. Her trajectory is controversial and complex — reflecting tensions between political conviction, state power, justice, and reconciliation.

Early Life and Education

Rosenberg was born on October 5, 1955 in Manhattan, into a middle-class Jewish family.

She attended the progressive Walden School in New York City. Barnard College, but left before graduating; she completed a B.A. in American history via the City University of New York (CUNY).

Before her radicalization, she worked as a drug counselor at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, and later practiced Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

Radicalization & Underground Years

Political Influences & Early Activism

During her youth and early adulthood, Rosenberg was deeply influenced by the social movements of the 1960s and 1970s: civil rights, anti-Vietnam War, Black liberation, feminism, and struggles for Puerto Rican independence.

In particular, she joined the May 19th Communist Organization (M19CO), a clandestine group that merged elements from the Weather Underground and Black Liberation movements.

Rosenberg was also implicated (though not always legally charged) in events such as:

• The 1979 prison escape of Assata Shakur (she was sought as an accomplice).

• The 1981 Brinks armored car robbery in New York, which resulted in the deaths of two police officers and a guard.

• Bombings of U.S. government buildings, including the Capitol in 1983 (though Rosenberg was later not convicted for involvement in these bombings).

Fugitive Period & Arrest

After the 1981 Brinks offense, Rosenberg went underground (i.e., evaded arrest) for approximately three years.

She was arrested in 1984 when found in possession of a large cache of explosives, automatic weapons, and other materials.

At trial, Rosenberg was convicted on charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, and was sentenced to 58 years’ imprisonment — a sentence many observers regarded as extraordinarily harsh for the nature of the charges.

Life in Prison & Transformation

Conditions & Political Prisoner Status

While incarcerated, Rosenberg was subjected to extraordinary isolation. She was among the first prisoners held in the High Security Unit (HSU) for women in Lexington, Kentucky — a controversial facility designed for inmates considered “political prisoners.”

Throughout her incarceration, Rosenberg engaged in intellectual and activist work:

• She obtained a Master’s degree in writing from Antioch University while in prison.

• She published poetry and essays and taught fellow inmates courses (e.g. on Black history).

• She became an AIDS activist inside prison, raising awareness and outreach among inmates afflicted by HIV/AIDS.

• She wrote, lectured, maintained literary connections, and strove to preserve her identity and voice under oppressive conditions.

Rosenberg’s parents and legal supporters actively campaigned for her release, citing the political nature of her sentence and the disproportionate severity.

Commutation & Release

On January 20, 2001, President Bill Clinton granted Rosenberg’s sentence commutation, reducing it to time served (16+ years).

Upon her release, Rosenberg resumed activism, writing, education, and advocacy work.

Later Career, Activism & Writing

Post-Prison Work & Roles

After release, Rosenberg served as Communications Director for the American Jewish World Service, an international development and human rights organization.

She was an adjunct instructor in literature at John Jay College (CUNY), though her contract was not renewed after two semesters, reportedly in response to political pressures.

In 2004, Hamilton College offered her a short-term teaching role (a month-long seminar on “Resistance Memoirs”), but opposition from alumni/parents led her to decline.

She has also served on the board of Thousand Currents, a nonprofit foundation supporting grassroots groups, especially in the Global South.

Memoir & Writings

In 2011, Rosenberg published her memoir, An American Radical: A Political Prisoner in My Own Country, recounting her experiences — underground life, imprisonment, resistance, identity, and reflections on justice.

She continues to write essays, participate in PEN (Poets, Essayists & Novelists) and PEN Prison Writing initiatives, and speak on criminal justice reform.

Controversies & Criticism

Susan Rosenberg's life and legacy remain highly contested and viewed through sharply divergent lenses:

• Critics and law enforcement view her as a convicted domestic terrorist whose commutation was a misuse of presidential authority.

• Supporters and civil rights advocates view her as a political prisoner and symbol of resistance against an oppressive carceral system.

• Some controversies have attended her involvement with Thousand Currents, including scrutiny of her role on its board and that organization’s links to funding social justice groups.

• Her academic engagements have sometimes drawn backlash from alumni or public actors who object to her past, resulting in canceled or denied appointments.

Rosenberg herself addresses many of these tensions in her memoir: she does not fully disavow her past beliefs, but she critically reflects on them and emphasizes the importance of dignity, justice, and reform.

Legacy & Impact

Susan Rosenberg’s life is emblematic of the contested border between radical resistance and criminal prosecution, and between punishment and redemption. Her legacy includes:

• Drawing attention to political prisoners and debates about whether certain crimes are treated as political acts vs. criminal acts.

• Advocacy for prison reform, especially for women prisoners, incarcerated people of color, and humane treatment within the system.

• A body of writing and public testimony illuminating how identity, ideology, trauma, and resistance interact within incarceration.

• Serving as a symbol (for some) of radical activism and (for others) cautionary case — thus provoking ongoing debates about state power, protest, and justice.

Her memoir, lectures, and activism continue to inform activists, scholars in criminology, prison reformers, and people concerned with how societies respond to dissent.

Select Quotations & Reflections

Here are some representative reflections or paraphrases from Rosenberg’s writings and interviews:

“Writing became the mechanism by which to save my own sanity.” “The prison industrial complex is the biggest domestic enemy we face.” “I resist the dehumanization of the system — even behind bars, one must retain voice and dignity.” (Paraphrase)
“I do not present this as a story of redemption so much as a story of survival and resistance.”

Lessons from Susan Rosenberg’s Life

1. Conviction and critical reflection can coexist
   Rosenberg demonstrates how one can hold deep political convictions while later interrogating them and sustaining critical self-awareness.

2. The carceral system is not neutral
   Through her experiences, she exposes how prisons can function as sites of control, dehumanization, and political suppression — particularly for dissenters.

3. Voice matters in confinement
   Even under extreme isolation, Rosenberg’s writing, teaching, and engagement with others inside prison show how maintaining agency is vital.

4. Justice debates are complex, not binary
   Her life invites us to question simple dichotomies of “terrorist vs. freedom fighter,” urging us to examine systemic inequities, proportionality, state power, and legitimacy.

5. Public memory is contested
   Her career shows how history, media, and institutions shape which narratives get honored, which get vilified, and who is allowed to speak afterward.