Committee to Form a Libertarian Party

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The Committee to Form a Libertarian Party was the precursor to the modern United States Libertarian Party. It was formed to debate the desirability of a specifically Libertarian political force. It was founded July 17, 1971 by David Nolan, a Colorado consultant and businessman, and 4 friends to co-ordinate interest in a founding a US Libertarian Party.

It was preceded by several abortive attempts, including a Libertarian Party in California, a functional Libertarian group in Florida that remains as the Libertarian Party Florida, and a Libertarian Party formed in 1856 by Manuel de Lemos and J. De Jacques which evolved into the Libertarian and Workingmen's Library that existed for many years in the area of the present Woolworth building in Manhattan, was associated with the French and Spanish anarchists and the then-radical Republican Club of New York, and eventually the (Western) Libertarian League whose members gave rise to the US Chamber of Commerce, the Libertarian International Organization, FEE and other educational and activist groups.

Contrary to common belief, the Committee was preceded by groups such as the Radical Libertarian Alliance, and the extant Libertarian Alliance (UK) in promoting Libertarian political action. It became defunct upon the first convention of the newly formed US Libertarian Party.The new party soon attracted Libertarians in the other parties, and was running local and national candidates.