Prior to his death, he had been an active socialist and labor leader for many years. He had been the Socialist Party of America's candidate for president five times, and had served as the editor of the Socialist Party's newspaper, the Appeal to Reason. He had also been jailed for his political activities, including a ten-year sentence for speaking out against World War I.
After his death, Debs was remembered as a passionate and eloquent advocate for the rights of workers and the poor. He was also praised for his courage and dedication to his beliefs, even in the face of adversity.