David Horowitz

David Joel Horowitz (born January 10, 1939) is an American conservative writer and policy advocate. Horowitz was a member of the New Left in the late 1960s before moving to the right in the 1970s. He is a founder and the president of the David Horowitz Freedom Center , edits the conservative FrontPage Magazine , and writes for Christopher Ruddy 's conservative website NewsMax . Horowitz founded the right-leaning activist group Students for Academic Freedom .

He has established a complex of institutions promoting his viewpoint: he is a founder and current president of the think tank the David Horowitz Freedom Center ; editor of FrontPage Magazine , which is published by his Center; and director of Discover the Networks , a website that tracks individuals and groups on the political left. Horowitz founded the organization Students for Academic Freedom , purportedly to oppose political correctness and leftist orientation in academia. He has worked as a columnist for Salon magazine , whose Joan Walsh in 2001 described him as a "conservative provocateur." He has written several books with author Peter Collier (political author) , including four on prominent 20th-century American political families that had members elected to the presidency. They also have collaborated on books about current cultural criticism. Horowitz was raised by parents who were members of the Communist Party USA during the Great Depression and until learning in 1956 about Joseph Stalin 's excesses. Between 1956 and 1975, Horowitz was an outspoken adherent of the New Left . He later rejected leftism completely and has become an outspoken conservative. Horowitz has recounted his ideological journey in a series of retrospective books, culminating with his 1996 memoir Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey.

Conservative activist and writer For other people named David Horowitz, see David Horowitz (disambiguation) . David Joel Horowitz (born January 10, 1939) is an American conservative writer. He is a founder and president of the think tank the David Horowitz Freedom Center (DHFC); editor of the Center's publication, FrontPage Magazine ; and director of Discover the Networks , a website that tracks individuals and groups on the political left . Horowitz also founded the organization Students for Academic Freedom . Horowitz wrote several books with author Peter Collier , including four on prominent 20th-century American political families that had members elected to the presidency. He and Collier have collaborated on books about cultural criticism. Horowitz worked as a columnist for Salon . From 1956 to 1975, Horowitz was an outspoken adherent of the New Left . He later rejected progressive and Marxist ideas and became a defender of conservativism. Horowitz recounted his ideological journey in a series of retrospective books, culminating with his 1996 memoir Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey . The Southern Poverty Law Center describes Horowitz as "a driving force of the anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant and anti-black movements".

American conservative activist and writer For other people named David Horowitz, see David Horowitz (disambiguation) . David Joel Horowitz (born January 10, 1939 ) is an American conservative writer and activist. He is a founder and president of the right-wing David Horowitz Freedom Center (DHFC); editor of the Center's website FrontPage Magazine ; and director of Discover the Networks , a website that tracks individuals and groups on the political left . Horowitz also founded the organization Students for Academic Freedom . Horowitz wrote several books with author Peter Collier , including four on prominent 20th-century American families. He and Collier have collaborated on books about cultural criticism. Horowitz worked as a columnist for Salon . From 1956 to 1975, Horowitz was an outspoken adherent of the New Left . He later rejected progressive ideas and became a defender of neoconservatism . Horowitz recounted his ideological journey in a series of retrospective books, culminating with his 1996 memoir Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey .

American conservative writer and activist (1939–2025) For other people named David Horowitz, see David Horowitz (disambiguation) . David Joel Horowitz (January 10, 1939 – April 29, 2025) was an American conservative writer and activist. He was a founder and president of the David Horowitz Freedom Center (DHFC); editor of the Center's website FrontPage Magazine ; and director of Discover the Networks , a website that tracks individuals and groups on the political left . Horowitz also founded the organization Students for Academic Freedom . Horowitz wrote several books with author Peter Collier , including four on prominent 20th-century American families. He and Collier collaborated on books about cultural criticism. Horowitz worked as a columnist for Salon . From 1956 to 1975, Horowitz was an outspoken adherent of the New Left . He later rejected progressive ideas and became a defender of neoconservatism . Horowitz recounted his ideological journey in a series of retrospective books, culminating with his 1996 memoir Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey .