For 25 years he led the congregation at KAM Isaiah Israel, a synagogue across the street from Obama's mansion[22]. [37] Instead, Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris. Black said Obama's biggest obstacle would not be from whites, but from blacks. in history, 1961), Chicago State University (M.S. The Coalitions first action in Illinois was a 90-person picket line outside the downtown Chicago offices of the Charles Schwab brokerage, a major advocate of privatization. Davis' friendship with Barack Obama goes back at least to their days in the DSA influenced New Party in the mid 1990s. [39], In the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Davis endorsed Joe Biden. Danny K. Davis is the only Democrat remaining in Congress who is open about his membership of Democratic Socialists of America. In 2018 Democratic Socialists of America member David Duhalde wrote of attending an AFL-CIO convention 15 years previously, and observing a panel with Barack Obama and AFL-CIO head John Sweeney. "He said we might think about handing the torch over and taking a break.". You have been an ally of his for years, for decades. His choice divided veteran Chicago political activists. The Memorial Service for Chicago Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member Saul Mendelson was held on Sunday, March 29, 1998, at the First Unitarian Church, Chicago[8]. Formed in early 2008 Progressives for Obama was desined to unite the main sectors of the U.S. left behind the Obama presidential campaign. [13], In the November 5 general election, Davis won with over 82 percent of the votes cast over Republican Randy Borow and third-party candidates Chauncey L. Stroud (Independent), Toietta Dixon (Libertarian), and Charles A. "There is a moral quality to what kind of country we are," Townsend said after meeting with the protesters. For those heavy into it, thats their thing, but it aint my thing. During Obama's 2008 presidential cycle at least three DSA connected activists were appointed to important campaign posts. Oclander, J. and Spielman, F: "Mole Gave Alderman Cash - Politician Suspected of Receiving $20,000". Bey, L.: "Rivals Revive Davis ' 1970 Comments on Black Women", CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (, 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support, List of African-American United States representatives, "In 2008, Democratic Socialists Endorsed Him. This neighborhood is genuinely integrated. Chicago City Clerk Miguel Del Valle, a long time DSA associate, told the 2008 Democratic Party convention of his first meeting with Barack Obama; Lou Pardo was a confirmed member of Democratic Socialists of America. from Arkansas A.M. & N. College in 1961. It is one of two official U.S. affiliates of the Socialist International. And Barack and his family fit right in. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a socialist and labor-oriented nonprofit organization in the United States, whose members' ideological views range from social democracy to democratic socialism.Its roots are in the Socialist Party of America (SPA), whose most prominent leaders included Eugene V. Debs, Norman Thomas and Michael Harrington. It also includes several of Chicago's inner western suburbs, such as Bellwood, Oak Park, and River Forest. [7] Davis had also waged an unsuccessful campaign against Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley in the 1991 Democratic mayoral primary. The guest speaker was socialist-communist Danny K. Davis.