New Students for a Democratic Society


Students for a Democratic Society, also called New Students for a Democratic Society is a student activist organization that is politically progressive in the United States. New SDS is strongly anti-war and embraces participatory democracy, led by students and youth. New SDS formed in 2006, in response to the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, with the aim of rebuilding the student movement.
New SDS takes its name and inspiration from the Students for a Democratic Society of 1960–1969, which was the largest anti-capitalist student organization in US history. New SDS has no formal links to old SDS, though several old SDS members helped create new SDS.
SDS members have participated in numerous student protests around the country, primarily anti-war and anti-racism protests, such as the 2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses.
Notable new SDS members include Alan Haber.

Ideology

SDS is a progressive, multi-issue student and youth-led activist organization. SDS is "non-tendency", with members united by a commitment to direct action and participatory democracy, rather than any particular political ideology. SDS is strongly anti-war, anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobia and anti-transphobia, and anti-police brutality, and anti-authoritarianism. New SDS is inspired by anti-war and Marxist ideals of the old SDS.
New SDS aims to rebuild the student movement through direct action campaigns on college, university, and high school campuses across the United States.

Membership

New SDS started in January 2006 with 3 members, student Jessica Rapchik, student Pat Korte, and old SDS member Alan Haber. By September 2006, new SDS claimed 1000 members and 150 chapters. In April 2007, new SDS claimed over 2,000 members. In January 2008, new SDS claimed over 3,000 members and 120 active chapters. In July 2009, SDS claimed "over 100 chapters". In 2023, SDS claimed "over 40 chapters".
SDS members do not pay dues. SDS has no elected national leadership. Chapters are autonomous and freely pursue campaigns of interest.

History

Re-formation

In January 2006, students opposed to the Iraq invasion hoped to revive the 1960s Students for a Democratic Society took shape. Two high school students, Jessica Rapchik and Pat Korte, decided to reach out to former members of the "Sixties" SDS, to re-establish a student movement in the United States. Korte did this by contacting Alan Haber. They called for a new generation of SDS, to build a radical multi-issue organization grounded in the principle of participatory democracy. Several chapters at various colleges and high schools were subsequently formed. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day of 2006, these chapters banded together to issue a press release that stated their intentions to recreate the national SDS organization.
In the press release, new SDS called for the organization's first national convention since 1969 to be held in the summer of 2006 and to have it preceded by a series of regional conferences occurring during the Memorial Day weekend. These regional conferences would also be the first of their kind since 1969. On April 23, 2006, SDS held a northeast regional conference at Brown University. New SDS held its first national convention from August 4 to August 7, 2006 at the University of Chicago.
The Freedom Road Socialist Organization helped create new SDS, which has significant FRSO leadership and FRSO collaboration.

2000s

In March 2006, Pace University SDS protested against a speech by Bill Clinton at the University's New York City campus, prompting the university to hand over two students, Lauren Giaccone and Brian Kelly, to the United States Secret Service. After Pace threatened to expel the protesters, Pace SDS began a campaign that helped pressure the President of Pace to resign.
From July 27–30 2007, the second SDS National Convention took place at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Approximately 200 members of SDS attended what was a constitutional convention. The primary focus of the convention was to democratically create a national structure and vision for the organization. These goals were achieved, though all decisions made at the convention will be sent back to SDS chapters for a process of ratification which is currently under way.
From September 1–4 2008, SDS members and chapters from around the country converged on St. Paul, Minnesota to participate in four days of protest against the 2008 Republican National Convention.
On September 22 2008, Providence SDS members took over a board meeting of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority RIPTA to protest proposed route cuts. SDS argued that the RIPTA board is detached from its riders and doesn't represent them.

2010s

In March 2010, University of Houston SDS joined the March 4 National Day of Action to Defend Education, along with SDS chapters nationwide.
In March 2010, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee SDS members staged a protest outside the Chancellor's building. The event, designed to protest rising tuition costs, was met with a police presence. Police began using pepper spray, and arrested sixteen members of the protest, including both SDS members and allied organizations on campus through the Education Rights Campaign.

2020s

In 2024, SDS chapters across the country began or participated in encampments as part of the 2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses. Notable encampments included those at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus, Auraria Campus in Denver, the University of Washington Seattle campus, Tulane University, Florida State University, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Willamette University, and the University of South Florida. The University of Minnesota Twin Cities chapter occupied a campus library.
In July and August 2024, SDS participated in marches on the 2024 Republican National Convention and the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
In 2025, SDS chapters and members joined the protests against Trump's mass deportation. In April 2025, SDS chapters joined protests against the Trump administration's international student visa revocations and deportations.

Conventions

Due to Freedom Road Socialist Organization's tight links with SDS, Fight Back! News has posted an article for nearly all SDS conventions.
#NameDateLocationAttendeesNotesReports
19th2025 National ConventionOctober 11–12, 2025University of Wisconsin–Milwaukeeover 250 members from over 40 chapters
18th2024 National ConventionOctober 12–13, 2024Auraria Campus
    • 17th2023 National ConventionOctober 14–15, 2023University of Illinois Chicago180 members from 20 chapters
    • 16th2022 National ConventionOct 15–16, 2022Kent State Universityabout 90 members
    • 15th2021 National ConventionOct 16–17, 2021University of Minnesotaalmost 170 members
    • 14th2019 National ConventionSept 20, 2019University of North Floridaover 80 members from 12 chapters
    • 13th2018 National ConventionOct 20–21, 2018University of Utahnot stated
    • 12th2017 National ConventionOct 21–22, 2017UC Santa Barbaraover 95 members
    11th2016 National ConventionOct 8–9, 2016University of Minnesota
    10th2015 National ConventionOctober 10–11, 2015University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
    • 9th2014 National ConventionOct 10–11, 2014University of Minnesota
    • 8th2013 National ConventionOct 12–13, 2013Austin Peay State Universityover 100 members
    • 7th2012 National ConventionOct 27–28, 2012University of Florida70 members
    • 6th2011 National ConventionNov 12–13, 2011University of Wisconsin–Milwaukeeover 150 members
    • 5th2010 National ConventionOct 22–24, 2010University of Wisconsin–Milwaukeearound 100 members from 20 cities
    • 4th2009 National ConventionJuly 11–12, 2009Middle Tennessee State Universityaround 100 members
    3rd2008 National ConventionJuly 24–27, 2008University of Maryland, College Parkabout 120 membersConvention finally decided on a national structure, the National Working Committee, which had a representative from each region, working group, and caucus for oppressed groups.
    • 2nd2007 National ConventionJuly 27–30, 2007Wayne State Universityabout 150 members or 200 membersMichael Albert attended and favorably compared the organization to old SDS. Convention developed a draft national structure and constitution, sent back to SDS chapters for ratification.
    • 1st2006 National ConventionAugust 4–7, 2006University of Chicagoabout 100 members or 200 membersAlan Haber attended and hoped that old SDS members might teach new SDS members how to avoid old SDS's mistakes.