The Historical Lens: The Rise of Socialism—Can Its Past Predict Its Future?
Event Details:
Presented live on Zoom
For much of American history, socialism has been, in the words of the fictional congressman Jay Bulworth, a “dirty word.” And yet, in the last decade, membership in the organization the Democratic Socialists of America nearly doubled; New York City elected a Democratic Socialist mayor; and an increasing number of state and national political candidates explicitly or indirectly identify as socialists. A hundred years after the death of Eugene V. Debs, the socialist activist and failed five-time presidential candidate, how have attitudes towards socialism changed in America? Writer and historian Clay Risen and journalist Joanne Lipman sit down—in advance of the 2026 midterm elections—to discuss the past, present, and possible future of the political movement.
The Historical Lens is a programming series presenting free, live, virtual discussions that seeks to offer historical context for breaking news stories to better understand our current moment.
Clay Risen is a reporter on the New York Times’ Obituaries desk and the author of numerous books, including Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America.
Joanne Lipman (moderator), a scholar trustee of The New York Historical, is an author and journalist who has served as editor-in-chief of organizations including USA Today and the Wall Street Journal’s Weekend Journal.
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Photos: Clay Risen by Kate Milford; Joanne Lipman by USA Today
