Spock, Benjamin [1903 - 1998]; Julius Hobson [1922 - 1977]. [1972 Presidential Election] People's Party election ephemera. [1972?].
Three booklets issued by the People's Party in support of their 1972 third-party campaign for President of the United States. 1) A stapled booklet with cover title people's party - for jobs, justice, peace & liberation. Platform, Dallas, Texas, November, 1971. This brochure offers a detailed presentation of their party platform, 2) The People's Candidates. Offers an introduction to the party candidates for President: Benjamin Spock and Vice President: Julius Hobson, 3) Grass Roots -- National Newsletter of the People's Party. Special Issue. Offers an explanation of the party, their strategy and programs and lists their Provisional Candidates and Shadow Cabinet Nominees. 7" x 8-1/2"; 41+[8]+[8] pp. Very Good condition.
The People's Party was formed at a convention "held in Dallas, Texas during the Thanksgiving week of 1971" which "was attended by about 200 representatives of independent political parties, single issue protest organizations, and community action groups". "We believe that the present political parties of the United States do not represent nor reflect the social, political, and economic hopes of a large segment of the population of this country." Dr. Spock was author of the well-known book Baby and Child Care. Julius Hobson was an African-American activist from Washington, DC. The party advocated among other things an end to the war in Indo-China, what we now term universal basic income, and the Equal Rights Amendment. They also created an entire Shadow Cabinet for the major positions of the Executive branch, the best known of whom was Gore Vidal as Secretary of State. They did not do that well in the election, garnering only 78,759 votes or 0.10% (per Wikipedia) The party would field candidates for the 1976 election but fail to get even as many votes as in 1972.
