Anna was known for her kindness and generosity, and she was often approached for help by the families of convicted and exiled revolutionaries.
Her sympathies for these revolutionaries were unpopular with Russian officials.
In 1879 she was exiled abroad for giving aid to revolutionary organisations, and only allowed to return in 1881.
After the assassination of the Tsar in 1881, Anna, now known for her revolutionary sympathies, couldn't find supporters for further social projects.
Her husband's official position was also weakened because of her revolutionary connections, and the family was forced to live more modestly.

Anna returned to public life in the late 1880s and early 1890s when she began providing assistance for starving people in the Volga Region.
In 1892 she joined the "Saint Petersburg Committee for the Promotion of Literacy".
In 1895 she founded and chaired the "Charity Association of Russian Women", a feminist organisation that was officially denominated a charity organisation because all forms of political activity were banned in Russia.
The same year, a women's university of medicine was founded in Russia, and in 1904 women's university courses were again allowed outside of the capital.
In connection with this, Filosofova was recognized by the Tsar for her work within the "Society for the Finance of Education courses for Women".
In 1905, the universities of Russia were opened to women and the women's university courses were no longer necessary.
The same year, men were granted suffrage and political activity was permitted, after which the women's group presented their first demand for women suffrage.

Anna was elected chairman of the International Council of Women in 1899.
She participated in the Russian Revolution of 1905, joining the Constitutional Democratic Party and eventually acting as chairman of the first Russian women's congress in 1908.
Anna's aims of unifying Russian women were unsuccessful, mostly due to the number of factions within the movement.
After the congress, Anna and some of her associates received deprecating letters from the ultra-conservative Duma deputy Vladimir Purishkevich.
Anna made the letter public and took Purishkevich to court, where he was sentenced to one month in jail.

In 1908 Anna joined the Russian Theosophical Society, which she had helped to set up.
In 1911 Russia celebrated the fiftieth jubilee of Anna's public activities, representing the progress and achievements of the women's movement in Russia.
The jubilee was attended by more than one hundred women's organisations who presented addresses, along with several foreign groups.
She was also honored by deputies of the Duma at the Mariinsky Palace.
She died in Saint Petersburg, and her funeral was attended by thousands of people.
Anna was known for her kindness and generosity, and she was often approached for help by the families of convicted and exiled revolutionaries. Her sympathies for these revolutionaries were unpopular with Russian officials. In 1879 she was exiled abroad for giving aid to revolutionary organisations, and only allowed to return in 1881. After the assassination of the Tsar in 1881, Anna, now known for her revolutionary sympathies, couldn't find supporters for further social projects. Her husband's official position was also weakened because of her revolutionary connections, and the family was forced to live more modestly.
Anna returned to public life in the late 1880s and early 1890s when she began providing assistance for starving people in the Volga Region. In 1892 she joined the "Saint Petersburg Committee for the Promotion of Literacy". In 1895 she founded and chaired the "Charity Association of Russian Women", a feminist organisation that was officially denominated a charity organisation because all forms of political activity were banned in Russia. The same year, a women's university of medicine was founded in Russia, and in 1904 women's university courses were again allowed outside of the capital. In connection with this, Filosofova was recognized by the Tsar for her work within the "Society for the Finance of Education courses for Women". In 1905, the universities of Russia were opened to women and the women's university courses were no longer necessary. The same year, men were granted suffrage and political activity was permitted, after which the women's group presented their first demand for women suffrage.
Anna was elected chairman of the International Council of Women in 1899. She participated in the Russian Revolution of 1905, joining the Constitutional Democratic Party and eventually acting as chairman of the first Russian women's congress in 1908. Anna's aims of unifying Russian women were unsuccessful, mostly due to the number of factions within the movement. After the congress, Anna and some of her associates received deprecating letters from the ultra-conservative Duma deputy Vladimir Purishkevich. Anna made the letter public and took Purishkevich to court, where he was sentenced to one month in jail.
In 1908 Anna joined the Russian Theosophical Society, which she had helped to set up. In 1911 Russia celebrated the fiftieth jubilee of Anna's public activities, representing the progress and achievements of the women's movement in Russia. The jubilee was attended by more than one hundred women's organisations who presented addresses, along with several foreign groups. She was also honored by deputies of the Duma at the Mariinsky Palace. She died in Saint Petersburg, and her funeral was attended by thousands of people.
Anna Filosofova