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List of conventions of the Democratic Socialists of America

This is a list of conventions of the Democratic Socialists of America. Conventions generally are held biennially; although special conventions can be held any time, no special conventions have been called in DSA's history. The convention is the highest governing body of DSA.[1]

Map of states that have hosted a Democratic Socialists of America convention.

Convention delegates are elected from the general membership of individual chapters. Chapters are allocated a number of delegates proportional to their membership. The convention elects the leadership of the national organization, the National Political Committee, as well as setting political priorities for the following term. The National Political Committee is elected via single transferrable vote. DSA conventions use the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised for their parliamentary procedure.[1]

List of Democratic Socialists of America Conventions

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Year Dates Location Notes
1982 March 20–21 Detroit, Michigan Founding convention of DSA, merger of NAM and DSOC.[2]
1983 October 14–16 New York City, New York [3]
1985 November 8–11 Berkeley, California Cornel West spoke at the 1985 convention.[4][5]
1987 December 4–6 Washington, D.C. The 1987 convention endorsed Jesse Jackson for president.[6] Jackson requested DSA not endorse him.[7]
1989 November 10–12 Baltimore, Maryland This convention was the first convention to be held after the death of Michael Harrington, founder of DSOC and DSA.[6][8]
1991 November 8–11 Chicago, Illinois [9]
1993 November 11–14 Manhattan Beach, California The 1993 convention endorsed the statehood of Washington D.C.[9]
1995 November 10–12 Chevy Chase, Maryland Cornel West, honorary DSA chair, spoke at the 1995 convention.[9]
1997 November 7–9 Columbus, Ohio [10]
1999 November 11–14 San Diego, California [10]
2001 November 9–11 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Convention passed a resolution condemning the September 11, 2001 attacks while condemning restrictions on civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism, and racist scapegoating of Arab Americans and American Muslims.[11][12]
2003 November 14–16 Detroit, Michigan [13]
2005 November 11–13 Los Angeles, California [14]
2007 November 9–11 Atlanta, Georgia Bernie Sanders spoke at the 2007 convention.[15]
2009 November 13–15 Evanston, Illinois Harold Meyerson and Kim Bobo spoke at the 2009 convention. The convention discussed issues such as how DSA and the rest of the country should respond to the Great Recession, and health care.[16]
2011 November 11–13 Vienna, Virginia A resolution supporting Occupy Wall Street passed at the 2011 convention, as well as a resolution formalizing DSA's support for gay liberation and LGBTQ rights.[17][18]
2013 October 24–27 Emeryville, California [19]
2015 November 13–15 Bolivar, Pennsylvania There was a failed resolution to leave the Socialist International at the 2015 convention.[19][20] There were about 120 people in attendance. Programming at the convention included a panel on how DSA should orient itself around the 2016 Bernie Sanders campaign for president, and how DSA can diversify its membership.[21]
2017 August 4–6 Chicago, Illinois The 2017 convention voted to leave the Socialist International and endorsed the BDS movement. The convention was the first convention since Donald Trump's election as president, and DSA saw massive growth as a result.[22] The position of honorary chair was removed.[23]
2019 August 4–6 Atlanta, Georgia DSA endorsed the Green New Deal at the 2019 convention. A resolution passed that called for the decriminalization of sex work.[24] Convention passed a resolution that stated if Bernie Sanders did not get the Democratic party nomination in 2020, DSA would not endorse any other candidate in the presidential election.[25]
2021 August 1–8 Virtual due to COVID, held on Zoom A resolution passed at the 2021 convention to affiliate with the São Paulo Forum.[26]
2023 August 4–6 Chicago, Illinois DSA's BDS Working Group was moved to its International Committee instead of being an independent body at convention.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b "DSA Constitution & Bylaws". Democratic Socialists of America. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  2. ^ Chelnov, Sandra (March 1982). "DSOC/NAM→Democratic Socialists of America" (PDF). Democratic Left.
  3. ^ Shoch, Jim (November–December 1983). "Convention Reports" (PDF). Democratic Left. p. 5.
  4. ^ Roddy, David; De La Rosa, Alyssa (July 7, 2020). "A People of Color's History of DSA, Part 4: DSA Looks Inward". Sacramento DSA. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022.
  5. ^ Haer, John (January–February 1986). "Timeless Values, New Ideas" (PDF). Democratic Left. pp. 9, 12.
  6. ^ a b "The Later 1980s (1986–1989) - Metro DC DSA". washingtonsocialist.mdcdsa.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  7. ^ Oreskes, Michael (December 4, 1987). "JACKSON TO SHUN SOCIALIST BACKING". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
  8. ^ Mitgang, Herbert (1989-08-02). "Michael Harrington, Socialist and Author, Is Dead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  9. ^ a b c "The Early 1990s (1990–1995) - Metro DC DSA". washingtonsocialist.mdcdsa.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  10. ^ a b "The Late 1990s: Declining Activism (1996–2000) - Metro DC DSA". washingtonsocialist.mdcdsa.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  11. ^ "The Local in Eclipse (2001–2008) - Metro DC DSA". washingtonsocialist.mdcdsa.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  12. ^ "Convention Passes Anti-Bombing Resolution" (PDF). Democratic Left. Winter 2002. pp. 6–7.
  13. ^ Hogan, John; Quinn, Kathy; Strauss, John. "The DSA 2003 Convention". Archived from the original on November 4, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
  14. ^ "Call to Convention 2005" (PDF). Democratic Left. Summer 2005. p. 1.
  15. ^ Hirsch, Michael (Winter 2007–2008). "Economic Justice Agenda Adopted" (PDF). Democratic Left. pp. 4–5.
  16. ^ Barrosse, Emilia (2009-11-16). "Evanston hosts Democratic Socialists of America national convention". The Daily Northwestern. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  17. ^ "DSA 2011 National Convention". Archived from the original on January 8, 2013.
  18. ^ Hirsch, Michael (Winter 2011). "DSA's 2011 convention: Building socialism, forming comradeship, resisting corporate domination" (PDF). Democratic Left.
  19. ^ a b "The Local Reborn (2009–2016) - Metro DC DSA". washingtonsocialist.mdcdsa.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  20. ^ "A Left That Matters". jacobin.com. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  21. ^ "Socialists attend national rally here". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2024-07-25.
  22. ^ Krieg, Gregory (2017-08-08). "Democratic Socialists are taking themselves seriously. Should Democrats? | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  23. ^ Sernatinger, Andy (2023-08-30). "Did the DSA Convention Move Left?". Tempest. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  24. ^ Blanc, Eric (2019-08-07). "Democratic Socialists of America Seize the Day". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  25. ^ Pecinovsky, Tony (2019-08-06). "2020 elections and organizational questions dominate Democratic Socialists of America convention". People's World. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  26. ^ "Democratic Socialists of America Make a Strategy for the Biden Era". In These Times. 2021-09-21. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
  27. ^ "2023 DSA National Convention Retrospective: 'The Point, However, Is to Change It'". washingtonsocialist.mdcdsa.org. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
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