In the history of political thought there has been a reluctance to accord Emma Goldman the status of a serious political thinker. Even within the anarchist tradition she is rarely acknowledged as a political theorist. However, Goldman’s contribution to political thought was both original and pivotal. Three specific areas of her thought are examined (a) her view of emancipation, (b) her critique of patriarchy and insight that personal relations were power relations, and (c) her analysis of political violence. In each Goldman contributed to our political understanding and therefore should be regarded as a political theorist in her own right.