Ross Winn - Digging
Up a Tennessee
Let’s face it: Ross Winn was not a saint. When Emma Goldman
raised $60 in funds to help his impoverished, struggling family, Winn quickly
used the money to buy a new printing press rather than to feed and clothe his
wife and son. Yet this act epitomizes the passion Ross Winn embodied for his anarchist
philosophies. He was on fire for social change & printed words were his
tools. Over several decades, Winn published numerous journals including Winn’s Firebrand and The Advance. He understood that a free
press is the key to discourse, that ideals and ideas need to flow between
people in order to manifest in the realm of action.
With Digging Up a
Tennessee Anarchist, Shaun & Ally are the curators of a perfectly choreographed
zine. Robert Helms writes the introduction about the significance of
documenting anarchist history so that we have role models and references to
help frame our own philosophies. His meeting Shaun & Ally sent them down
the path of uncovering and documenting Ross Winn’s life. This zine includes a
biography of Winn, an essay about the process of discovering his history,
letters written by his son to Emma Goldman, and excerpts from Winn’s journals. Digging Up a Tennessee Anarchist is a substantial, cohesive, highly readable
body of work. Paper journals and zines are more relevant than ever as we
struggle to communicate in the age of communication and create dialogue above
the din & roar of technology. Through his dedication to social change and
the craft of journalism, Ross Winn heralded inspiration that will now,
thankfully, not languish in obscurity.
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