Us throughout the program tonight. His book is call, its been 85 since debs died. Why do we care about him . Debs is one of the labor leaders at a crucial time and a conflict between labor and capital, but more importantly, he was the central figure in the socialist movement at a time when it was a viable, growing and important part of the american political culture. So is he interesting as a snapshot in time or do you think he has a lasting legacy, do you think . Like many thirdparty candidates he and his fellow socialists managed to move the conversation in very important directions that have affected the development of american democracy ever since. So in that regard he is of his time, but he has also had a long impact on us, as well. We will have time to delve into some of the elections more deeply later on, but of the five bids he made for the white house, are any particularly significant . Two for very different reasons. The 1912 bid represents the high watermark of socialism whe
At the turn of the 20th century, a fivetime candidate for president on the socialist ticket and the nations most celebrated world war i protester. This december, 1921 footage captures debs on his return to his hometown of terre haute, indiana following his release from prison by president Warren Harding after a federal conviction stemming from those war protests. Tonight we are in terre haute in the debs home and museum. Let me introduce you to one of our two guests, Ernest Freeberg, a debs biographer, whose book is called, dempseys prisoner. It has been 85 years since debs died, why do we care about him . He was one of the most important labor leaders at a crucial time of conflict between labor and capital. More importantly, he was the central figure in a socialist movement at a time when it was a viable, growing, and important part of the american political culture. Is he interesting as a snapshot in time or does he have a Lasting Legacy . Like many thirdparty candidates, he and his