Group photo of Smedley (first from left), Lu Xun (first from right), Soong Ching Ling (third from left) and the Irish playwright Bernard Shaw (second from left) in Shanghai, February 1933. [Photo/FOTOE]

Agnes Smedley (1892–1950) was a famous American journalist, writer and social activist. In late 1928, she came to China as a journalist. In January 1937, she arrived in Yan'an. After the outbreak of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931–1945), she followed the Eighth Route Army to the front lines, where she covered and reported about the Chinese soldiers and civilians' brave fight against the Japanese invaders. She visited the New Fourth Army, actively helped to organize medical aid assistance and called on the world to support China. After her return to the U.S. in 1941, she continued to write, give speeches and actively solicite donations to help the Chinese in their fight against Japanese aggression until her last breath. Smedley was a dear friend of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people and made huge contributions toward the liberation of the Chinese people.

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Smedley was born in February 1892 to a poor working-class family in Missouri, U.S. Growing up in poverty and misery left a spark of resistance in her heart. Her vagrant way of life started at a very young age and lasted for a long time in which she set out to explore her own path in life.