On this day in history (January 20, 2001)
Two dumb twenty-somethings with a chip on their shoulder and a large white banner with DEMOCRATICUNDERGROUND.COM written on it in black paint went down to Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC and joined the protests against George W. Bush's inauguration. After managing to get their banner directly in front of the MSNBC cameras for about five minutes, the pair returned to their small office, turned on their computers, and found tons of people -- including many conservative trolls -- going nuts on the message board which they had added to their site at the last minute on a whim.
And that's how it all started. Happy Birthday DU! 23 years young today.
= new reply since forum marked as read
story continues over 4 pages.
The DU Creation Myth. Love the summary comments after each entry. EarlG’s 57 cigs
Thanks for everything, EarlG! You and Skinner and Elad have done so many of us a HUGE favor over the years, and you should FEEL THE LOVE!!! 
So grateful! Lurked for years, keeping some sliver of sanity and spirit. Now a still-grateful member.
Thank you!
I only discovered DU in 2004, after four long years of literally wandering in the wilderness after that heart-breaking 2000 election.
I lurked for several years before finally joining.
Had it not been for DU in 2016, I think that I might have gone insane! I will NEVER forget how DU was hacked on Election NIght.
So I have always believed that hackers helped to skew those results as well as all the other factors in that cursed election that first gave us the Worst Possible Holder of POTUS.
Don't know what I would have done these past 23 years without your message board and the many knowledgeable, wacky, funny, caring people who have posted over the years; many of whom have become infamous among the DU family.
Thanks to all of you..DU has kept me sane since I discovered it wa-a-a-ay back in 2006. I am so grateful for everything you have done to keep it real- You all have worked very hard and you are very much appreciated.
Thank you again.. 🙏
Thank you EarlG and Skinner and Elad, for creating, and captaining, a GREAT news/discussion/soulful site all these years!
I would be going batshit crazy by now if it wasn't for you and all the DUer's who have contributed over the years. Thank you all for everything.
I've located the area that we were at (Freedom Plaza around 13th Street I believe) but I couldn't find a glimpse of the banner on the C-SPAN, CNN, or NBC coverage that's out there. Unfortunately I can't find any full-length coverage at all from MSNBC. I might have an old VHS tape somewhere with the footage on, maybe I'll try and dig it out in time for the 25th anniversary 
The first time was an article about "Leadership for a New American Century LNAC. I was hooked. DU is the first thing I read in the morning and I check in several times during the day. I didn't become a member until 2008 so I'll try and make up the lost dues.
Keep up the great work!
Joeybear
I will forever be grateful for the the best thing to ever hit the internet, IMHO.
Thanks for this great site. It is a sanctuary and much appreciated.
May you save Democrats' sanity for another 23 years!
Y'all have done an extraordinary job and I believe this site has been a great service to the nation.
Thanks for the thread EarlG
Skinner 
Where DUers & I have spent many hours, Years and for some a couple of Decades.
Thank you for starting up a Democratic community. The majority here in our community are civil, intelligent and superb conversationalist!
Happy Birthday, DU!
but unfortunately couldn't find anything. The only footage I can locate from the inaugural parade is C-SPAN, CNN, and NBC, and we're not on those -- I'm certain it was MSNBC. There's a short clip of an MSNBC interview on the street at the parade, but their full coverage does not seem to be available online.
As mentioned above I may have it on an old VHS in a box somewhere. FWIW I'm pretty sure Skinner still has the original banner
So grateful you started this, like you it was because of Gore's loss I got more political but didn't find you until 2004. It will be my 20th this May. Found you on Michael Moore's website a link.
"Bob Boudelang," through whom I became acquainted with DU! I don't think I would still have a shred of sanity without DU!
One of those trolls. No, not a troll, but let's just say I was in a very different place back then, politically. Thank you to this community for being welcoming to people like me!
I'm glad DU exists and I hope for another 23 years of success!
(found in the anniversary thread from 3 years ago - https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214952709)
10th Anniversary on Cenk
The Democratic Underground Movie
The beginning: Seven Days Underground
https://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/01/01/010127_7days.html
March, 2004, but I love this site and my good friends here! Thank you, EarlG!
but for the same reason - I was like, WTF, since WHEN does the SUPREME COURT PICK THE F***ING PRESIDENT!!! I looked for people who were as outraged as me and, well, the rest is history
Being a Joni-Come-Lately to this community, I was not aware of any of this early history, and reading about it has been both instructive and entertaining. I honestly envy everyone who has been here since the early days, because I know I've missed quite a lot.
But alas, I didn't have the good fortune to stumble on DU until the mid 20-teens, and I didn't stick around very long at first. Fortunately, I finally found my way back and started actively posting some time in late 2019 or early 2020.
In the run up to the 2020 election, I was a nervous wreck, terrified that we might not succeed in getting a Democrat elected to eject the Orange Hellbeast from the White House. This time, I decided to stick around and start posting, and DU turned out to be just what I needed to finally be able to climb down off the ceiling and calm down. A little.
Looking back now, I am amazed at my own naivete. I actually thought getting a Democrat elected was ALL we needed to worry about! 
Anyways, you all know the rest of the story. Biden won, and the Orange Hellbeast left the White House (under protest), but he didn't really go away, and now he's trying get the fuck back in again, which mean I still need DU to help me stay sane. 
I would like to take this opportunity to take DU's founders for creating and maintaing this lovely safe harbor in the midst of chaos. I would also like to thank all the rest of you for being a part of it, because every one of you is a part of what makes DU what it is!
And now, back to the party!
Still going strong!
Happy anniversary to DU! Cheers to the best laid plans!
I love this community! Thank you for making it a safe space for all of us. I don't know how we would have survived the Trump regime without it!