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]
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.
| 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.[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. | |
| 1995 | November 10–12 | Chevy Chase, Maryland | Cornel West, honorary DSA chair, spoke at the 1995 convention. | |
| 1997 | November 7–9 | Columbus, Ohio | [10] | |
| 1999 | November 11–14 | San Diego, California | ||
| 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.[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] |