Clifton DeBerry

Clifton DeBerry (1924 - March 24, 2006) was an American Communist and two-time candidate for President of the United States of the Socialist Workers Party. DeBerry spoke out in defense of the Cuban Revolution, in support of African liberation struggles, and demanded withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam. He was active in the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955-56 and a supporter of Malcolm X in the 1960s.

DeBerry had first been a member of the Communist Party USA but he grew critical of Stalinism and in 1953 he joined Socialist Workers Party seeing himself as a Trotskyist.

When DeBerry ran first in United States presidential election, 1964 he was the party's first African American candidate as well as the first African American candidate for President of any existing party (he was preceded in 1960 by marginal Candidate Clennon King). DeBerry's running mate was Ed Shaw.

In 1970 he ran for Governor of New York and received about 5,000 votes.

DeBerry ran again in United States presidential election, 1980 as one of three candidates the party had that year, the others being Andrew Pulley and Richard Congress. Matilde Zimmermann was the vice presidential candidate on all three tickets.

[edit] Bibliography

Preceded by Farrell Dobbs	Socialist Workers Party Presidential candidate 1964 (lost)	Succeeded by Fred Halstead
Preceded by Peter Camejo	Socialist Workers Party Presidential candidate 1980 (lost)	Succeeded by Melvin T. Mason