1920-2020
August 25, 2020
“…buildings and landmarks across the country will light up in purple and gold on Wed., Aug. 26th as part of the Commission’s nationwide campaign, named in honor of the historic suffrage slogan, “Forward through the Darkness, Forward into Light.”
Focus. We the People have the power.
Eugene Victor “Gene” Debs was an American socialist, political activist, trade unionist, one of the founding members of the Industrial Workers of the World and five times the candidate of the Socialist Party of America for President of the United States. Debs was noted for his oratory, and his speech denouncing American participation in WWI led to his second arrest in 1918. He was convicted under the Sedition Act of 1918 and sentenced to a term of 10 years. (His first arrest was related to the railroad and union/strike activities.) President Warren G. Harding commuted his sentence in December 1921. Debs died in 1926, not long after being admitted to a sanatorium due to cardiovascular problems that developed during his time in prison.
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