1977 Libertarian National Convention

Turning Point – 1977, the 1977 Libertarian Party National Convention was held at the Sheraton-Palace Hotel in San Francisco between July 12 and 17, 1977. It had more than 50 events and an estimated attendance of 1500 people.

Event
A march across the room was organized by a group of libertarian feminists in support of the Equal Rights Amendment; the March featured a few of the leading women in the movement and two men: Robert Anton Wilson and Steve Trinward.

Staff and committees
Walter Grinder, platform committee chair

Changes

 * The Executive Committee was renamed the National Committee
 * The maximum number of regions was increased from 8 to 10

Speakers, panelists, and honorees

 * Linda Abrams
 * David Bergland
 * Nathaniel Branden, Objectivist leader
 * Karl Bray, tax activist
 * Jim Eason, radio talk show host
 * John Hospers
 * Diane Hunter-Smith
 * Ann Jackson
 * Paul Krassner, editor of The Realist
 * Dr. Timothy Leary, 1960s Guru
 * Roger MacBride, 1976 presidential nominee
 * John D. Marks, co-author of The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence
 * Eugene McCarthy, independent presidential candidate and opponent of MacBride in 1976
 * Tonie Nathan, 1972 vice presidential candidate
 * David Nolan (libertarian), party founder
 * Ron Paul, former U.S. Congressman
 * Sharon Pressley
 * Earl Ravanel, unofficial shadow Secretary of State
 * Murray Rothbard, keynote speaker
 * Margo St James, chair of COYOTE
 * Robert Anton Wilson, author

LNC

 * David Bergland, chair
 * Mary Louise Hanson, vice chair
 * Sylvia Sanders, secretary
 * Paul Allen, treasurer
 * Ed Clark, at large
 * Carol Cunningham, at large
 * Eric Garris, at large
 * John Hildberg, at large
 * Charles Koch, at large
 * Dick Randolph, at large
 * Murray Rothbard, at large
 * Bill Evers, regional representative
 * RA Childs, Jr., region 9
 * Michael Fieschko, region 9 (alt?)

Other noted events

 * William Westminster distributed a pamphlet entitled "On Account of Tyranny"
 * The IRA initially had a table, but was asked to leave after their $10 literature table fee was refunded. Their table had been singled out by a speech by David Nolan.
 * Aron Kay, pie-throwing Yippie, was present on a mission to pie Timothy Leary