1918-1971
Ran for NJ Governor on the Socialist Workers Party in 1961 (living 202 Clinton Pl Newark), 1965 (2 Aldine St, Newark). In 1965, she was the only woman candidate for governor. She opposed the Vietnam War, supported Civilian Review Boards, and supported a higher minimum wage and a shorter work week. She also supported free healthcare and education for poor families and taxing the rich.
A tribute in The Militant stated that she was a founding member of the Socialist Worker’s Party and a “revolutionary activist” for 35 years, “She was passionate in her hatred for every manifestation of social injustice.” She was a “unique personality” and “extremely outspoken”, “a thoroughgoing rebel…It was utterly incomprehensible to Ruth that anyone could make peace with this rotten degrading social system…She identified in the deepest sense with victims of every kind of oppression.”
Ruth supported the Black liberation movement, women’s liberation movement, and gay liberation movement. She was active in unions and the NAACP and attended the first Newark Meeting of the Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy. She was listed sometimes as a factory worker, other times as a waitress, who had graduated high school, and loved music, art, friends, and dancing.
Born in Brooklyn, she joined the Young People’s Socialist League in Brooklyn in 1936. She lived in Newark from 1945 to at least 1965 and died in Irvington. She was active in the Socialist Workers Party from age 15.
Bibliorgaphy
“Mrs. Shiminsky, Services Tomorrow” Star Ledger Apr 28, 1971
Minutes of the National Convention of the Socialist Workers, 1971.
“Woman Candidate Rates Viet Nam As Biggest Issue of Campiagn” Jersey Journal, Oct 27, 1965.
“Easy Oath for Hopefuls” Courier News Apr 13, 1965
Jersey Journal “Ruth F Shiminsky” Oct 15, 1965
The Militant, May 8, 1961 and Oct 1, 1962
“Tribute to Ruth Shiminksy” Militant May 14, 1971