Barbara R. Taylor, January 1, 1922 - January 6, 2012
VP candidate for New Alliance Party (1988)
Running mate with nominee: Lenora Fulani (b. 1950)
Popular vote: 5,139 (0.01%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
In 1988 Lenora Fulani was the nominee for the New Alliance Party. She managed to achieve the nearly impossible task of gaining ballot status in all 50 states + DC. In some cases the NAP worked with already existing third parties such as the Solidarity Party and United Citizens Party. In California they tried but failed to take over the Peace and Freedom Party and in the process temporarily derailed the PFP for that election year.
Meanwhile, Dennis L. Serrette the NAP Presidential nominee for 1984, denounced the Party as a toxic cult during the 1988 election season. This point of view would be shared by several in the cultbusting community.
Fulani had eight running-mates in 1988, stating "If we got elected, we'd figure it out." On the New Jersey ballot her VP was Barbara R. Taylor, who ran the Barbara Taylor School, located in the Harlem section of New York. Since both Fulani and Taylor were residents of New York, there would have been a Constitutional problem in the event they had won.
The Barbara Taylor School began in 1985 and became a hub and laboratory involving several figures from this psychological/political movement based on the work of Fred Newman. New Alliance Party philosophy apparently filtered into the curriculum. In addition to running for Vice-President, Taylor was also running for a seat in the US House that year-- first in the Democratic primary then in the general under the NAP banner. Even though she ran as a Democrat in the primary, she told a reporter in 1988, "The two party system really operates as one. The Republicans have never made any bones about what they represent. The Democrats make this hype about working for minorities, but they don't."
In 1987 Fulani said the NAP was prepared to endorse Jesse Jackson in the event he won the Democratic nomination, but in case he didn't her campaign was forging ahead.
The NAP platform included national health care, support for AIDS victims, recognition of Native American treaty rights, stronger environmental regulations, a freeze on military spending, ending aid to South Africa-Contras in Central America-Israel, support of pro-choice laws, support of public transportation.
Nationally Fulani gained 217,221 votes (0.24%) and placed 4th, a truly impressive and historic finish on many levels-- for openers, Fulani was the first African American woman to be listed on every US ballot. The Fulani/Taylor ticket received 0.17% of the popular vote in New Jersey.
Election history:
1988 - US House of Representatives (NY) (New Alliance Party) - defeated
1989 - Manhattan Borough President (NY) (Democratic) - primary - defeated
1989 - Manhattan Borough President (NY) (New Alliance Party) - defeated
1992 - New York Assembly (Democratic) - primary - defeated
1992 - New York Assembly (New Alliance Party) - defeated
2000 - New York Assembly (Independence Party of New York) - defeated
Other occupations: teacher
Notes:
Incumbent and winner of the 1988 House race was Charles Rangel.
The Barbara Taylor School ran until 1997.
