Eugene Debs was one of the most intriguing figures in American History. He was a union worker who rose through the ranks to become a union leader. As he sought to better the working conditions for his fellow workers he branched out to become an unlikely presidential candidate for the Socialist Party. Eugene Debs stands out as an example of how power in the workplace can turn into power on a political level, even if that person is locked up in jail, as Debs was during one of his campaigns. Eugene Debs stands out as an icon for the labor movement during a very turbulent time in its history. He strove to be the political voice of a people who never really had one.
Eugene Debs was a vocal leader of the labor and Socialist movement in the end of the 19th century and into the 20th century. His contributions to organized labor are felt even today.
Official seal of City of Terre Haute, Indiana
Downtown Terre Haute.
The ISU Campus in Terre Haute. Category:Images of ...He was one of the first leaders to successfully mold labor and politics together to accomplish the goals of the working class. The strides he made to bring labor into the political world have been beneficial to the labor movement and to the Democratic Party which has benefited from the union vote since the time of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
I will discuss Debs' early life in Terre Haute, Indiana and how it shaped the child of immigrants into the great labor leader. Then I will trace his steps as he started as a fireman for the trains to the founding of the union that first brought him power and notoriety. Then I will examine his role in the founding and performance in the Socialist Party.
Eugene Victor Debs was born on November 5, 1855 in Terre Haute, Indiana. He was born of...