Shawn Gude presents "American Socialist: The Life and Legacy of Eugene V. Debs" in conversation w/ Lester Spence

Shawn Gude presents *American Socialist: The Life and Legacy of Eugene V. Debs*, his biography of the railroad worker who became one of America’s most influential socialist leaders. In conversation with Johns Hopkins professor Lester Spence, Gude will discuss Debs’s transformation from a moderate labor organizer into a radical orator, cofounder of the Socialist Party of America, and presidential candidate who received nearly a million votes while imprisoned.

The book traces Debs’s role in the Progressive Era, when roughly 1,200 Socialists held elected office nationwide, and examines how his organizing helped bring socialist ideas into American political life. It also portrays the personal costs of his activism, including chronic illness, strained relationships, imprisonment, and opposition from allies, while considering why the ideals he championed remain influential today.

When: Thursday, November 12, 2026

Showtime: 7:00 pm

Program: Shawn Gude in conversation with Lester Spence

Featured book: *American Socialist: The Life and Legacy of Eugene V. Debs*

Presenter: Shawn Gude is the author of *American Socialist* and a former editor at *Jacobin*. Originally from Iowa, he lives in New York City with his wife.

Conversation partner: Lester Spence is a professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University. His work focuses on Black, racial, and urban politics after the neoliberal turn. He is the author of *Knocking the Hustle: Against the Neoliberal Turn in Black Politics*.

Venue: Red Emma’s

Address: 3128 Greenmount Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland

Tickets: Price not available

Reservations: RSVP is requested through the event page.

Run time: Not specified.

Ages: Not specified.