OUR HISTORY
Know Us!
For more than a half century, the libertarian party has promoted peace, individual rights, sound money,free markets, minimum government, and maximum freedom.
Our History Timeline
We are “The Party of Principle” because we stand firmly on our principles.
The Libertarian Party Was Born
What started as a series of meetings held in the home of David F. Nolan, one of our founders, became the Libertarian Party on December 11, 1971. Those early libertarians were as inspired by Austrian Economists like Murray Rothbard, Henry Hazlitt, and Ludwig von Mises, as we are today
VP Candidate Tonie Nathan
At the first Libertarian Party national convention in Denver, John Hospers was selected as our Presidential candidate. Tonie Nathan, who was selected as our Vice Presidential candidate, later earned the historical distinction of being the first woman in United States history to receive an electoral vote.
The LP Gains Momentum
Our Presidential candidate, Ed Clark appeared on the ballot in all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Guam, and received almost a million votes, causing the media to recognize the LP as a serious political force. This election provided many Americans with a first look at what the LP has to offer.
The Ron Paul Revolution
Ron Paul launched his first Presidential bid and placed third among a crowded field of nineteen candidates. During his campaign he taught Americans about the importance of non interventionism in foreign conflicts, decriminalization of illegal drugs, the abolition of the Federal Reserve, and a reduction in all government spending.
To The Belly of The Beast
With Libertarian Party membership and voter registrations soaring to record levels, we moved our national headquarters into the prestigious Watergate Office Building, which the Wall Street Journal dubbed "a sign of the times" regarding the party’s growing stature.
Rapid Growth Continues
As the Libertarian Party celebrated its 30th anniversary, we also racked up more wins than ever. That year we reached 522 Libertarians serving in public office. Newspapers and political websites published a whopping 141 Libertarian opinion pieces that year, further spreading our message.
First Libertarian in Congress
Justin Amash joined the Libertarian Party, becoming the first LP member to serve in Congress. That same year, Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. received 33% of the vote in Arkansas, the highest percentage ever for a Libertarian candidate in a Senate election, and Libertarians gained a seat in the Wyoming state legislature.