Truth, Memory, and Justice: Deborah Lipstadt’s Fight Against Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial
DEBORAH LIPSTADT’s voice resonates on both the global and individual levels because she speaks from a lifetime of scholarship, activism, and lived experience at the forefront of combating antisemitism and preserving historical truth. As the U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Ambassador Lipstadt led critical efforts to confront hate and intolerance worldwide.
Her career as a historian and author is marked by courage and integrity. Lipstadt’s legal battle against Holocaust denier David Irving, chronicled in her book History on Trial and portrayed in the film Denial, is a testament to her unyielding commitment to truth in the face of lies and hatred. Her work extends beyond the courtroom, shaping the global conversation about Holocaust remembrance, antisemitism, and the responsibility of society to confront bigotry.
As a speaker, Lipstadt combines the authority of an academic with the accessibility of a storyteller. Her insights draw from a deep well of expertise, including her role in advising the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, representing the White House at Auschwitz commemorations, and penning award-winning books like Antisemitism: Here and Now.
Lipstadt’s talks are not just lectures—they are calls to action. She challenges audiences to confront prejudice, safeguard historical memory, and recognize the dangers of complacency in the face of rising hate. Her ability to weave personal experiences, historical context, and urgent moral imperatives makes her a compelling and transformative speaker, one whose message resonates long after the conversation ends.
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Deborah E. Lipstadt was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 30, 2022, as the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, with the rank of Ambassador. In that position, from 2022-2025, Ambassador Lipstadt lead efforts to advance U.S. foreign policy to counter antisemitism throughout the world. At Emory University, where she has taught for 30 years, she currently holds the position of Distinguished University Professor.
During her tenure at the state department, she spearheaded the effort to create the Global Guidelines to Combat Antisemitism. As of January 2025, those Guidelines have been endorsed by 39 nations and 4 multilateral organizations, including European Union and the Organization for American States.
Ambassador Lipstadt has had a storied career as a historian, academic, and author. Prior to joining the State Department, she served as the Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust Studies at Emory University’s Tam Institute for Jewish Studies, which she helped to found.
She has written seven books including: Golda Meir: Israel’s Matriarch; The Eichmann Trial; Denial: Holocaust History on Trial; Denying the Holocaust: The Growing Assault on Truth and Memory; Beyond Belief: The American Press and the Coming of the Holocaust, 1933-1945. She received the National Jewish Book Award three times, most recently in 2019 for Antisemitism: Here and Now.
She was named as one of TIME 100’s "Most Influential People" of 2023. In April 2024, Ambassador Lipstadt was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the oldest learned societies in United States.
She known for having been sued for libel by David Irving, one of the world’s leading Holocaust deniers. The case, which lasted for six years and was heard in court in a twelve-week trial, resulted in Irving being declared by the court to be “a right-wing polemicist,” who engages in antisemitism, racism, and misogyny. That trial was depicted in the 2016 film Denial, which was based on her book Denial: Holocaust History on Trial.
Ambassador Lipstadt was a historical consultant to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and has held two Presidential appointments to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. She holds a BA from the City College of New York and an MA and PhD from Brandeis University.
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