About

What is the Progressive American?

Hello! I am Conor Kelly, the founder of The Progressive American, a program dedicated to progressive politics and an informed public. Democracy is a participatory system, and in order for participation to matter, the people must know what affects their daily lives.

The Mission

The Progressive American is dedicated to providing informative, persuasive, and well-rounded political commentary in addition to resources for research. Through my work, I help you to help yourself as political actors and as members of the body politic. Here, informative commentary research and progressive politics intersect. To emphasize that complex relationship, I established The Progressive American newsletter, where you can read the latest news from a progressive and sometimes critical perspective.

My History

As a student of history and politics, I have worked on multiple projects that inform my work. I have written several theses about the growth of political institutions and movements. Namely, my thesis Ella Baker: Mentor and Fundi, focused heavily on the development of long-time activist and civil rights advocate Ella Baker. I examined her philosophy and how it helped create the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. I was a consistent staff writer for the Lorian, and for three of those years, I served as its opinion editor. Since my graduation, I have dedicated myself primarily to The Progressive American YouTube and podcast and newsletter. Currently, I am a graduate student of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield.