In 1920, labor leader Eugene V. Debs made history by running for President of the United States from a federal prison cell. Convicted under the Espionage Act for a speech opposing U.S. involvement in World War I, Debs was sentenced to ten years. That didn’t stop him: from the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, he accepted the Socialist Party’s nomination and ran a national campaign—garnering nearly a million votes.
His candidacy was both protest and performance, a clear challenge to wartime repression and the criminalization of dissent. Debs didn’t expect to win, but his campaign galvanized working people, antiwar activists, and civil libertarians across the country. It remains one of the most radical acts of electoral defiance in U.S. history—and a testament to Debs’s belief that “while there is a lower class, I am in it.”
Quality Bella+Canvas Tee Soft, lightweight, and built to last. Made from 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton with a modern fit, it’s pre-shrunk for consistent sizing. Printed with DIGISOFT® for bold, long-lasting designs—your new everyday favorite.
BELOW YOU CAN MAKE A DONATION TO ONE OF THE ACTIVIST GROUPS THAT WE SPONSOR. This is above and beyond the 5% of the automatic donation that we make on your behalf at checkout and that you direct when you go to your CART. This is absolutely voluntary on your part and ABOVE AND BEYOND the call of duty.
