Helen Halyard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Helen Halyard (born 1951) was a third-party candidate for President of the United States in the 1992 presidential election, representing the Socialist Equality Party (US), also called the Workers League. One of the relatively few African-American candidates to run for President, she had previously run twice as their vice-presidential candidate, as Edward Winn's running mate, also African-American.[1]

She ran for the United States House of Representatives from New York's 14th congressional district in 1974,[2] losing to Fred Richmond. In 1976 she ran for the House again, for New York's 19th congressional district,[3] losing to incumbent Charles B. Rangel.

In 1982 she ran against and lost to incumbent Donald W. Riegle, Jr. for United States Senator from Michigan.[4] She was the party's candidate for Vice President of the United States in 1984. She also ran for Mayor of Detroit in 1985 and 1989.[5][6]

Living in Detroit, Michigan in 1988, she was then the chair of the party's presidential effort, having to lead a petition to get onto the ballot in Alabama, and criticized Jesse Jackson's campaign.[7] She ran again for Congress from Michigan in 1994, in which she was allowed into a debate with the major party candidates,[8] winning 1,329 votes in the election and losing to Lynn N. Rivers[9] and again in 1996.

As a member of the editorial board of the party's website in 2002 she continued to criticize Jackson, as well as the Workers World Party for being in her opinion too close to the Democrats.[10] She was serving as the Assistant National Secretary of the party in 2008.[11]


  1. ^ Tim Reeves and Mike Pelligrini (November 5, 1984). "Candidates who offer difference on issues". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 6. Retrieved January 17, 2010. 
  2. ^ "Candidates and Proposition on the Official Ballot in Election". New York Times. November 4, 1974. p. 42. 
  3. ^ "List of the Candidates in New York City and Suburbs in Elections Tomorrow". New York Times. November 1, 1976. p. 47. 
  4. ^ "Ballot in Michigan Contains 7 Proposals". Toledo Blade. October 31, 1982. p. 12. Retrieved January 17, 2010. 
  5. ^ Benchoff, Anastasia (September 6, 1992). "Mavericks fight the odds". The Bulletin. Retrieved January 17, 2010. 
  6. ^ "National Report: Coleman Young Wins Big In Detroit Mayoral Primary". Jet 69 (3): 5. September 30, 1985. 
  7. ^ "Socialists on ballot?". Times Daily. March 12, 1988. p. 1B. Retrieved January 17, 2010. 
  8. ^ Nash, James (October 13, 1994). "Rivers, Schall debate, spar over issues, name-calling". The Michigan Daily. p. 3. Retrieved January 17, 2010. 
  9. ^ "The 1994 Elections: House of Representatives". New York Times. November 10, 1994. Retrieved January 17, 2010. 
  10. ^ Reed Irvina and Cliff Kincaid (November 15, 2002). "Media Ignore Reds At Rally". Accuracy in Media. Retrieved 2010-01-16. 
  11. ^ White, Jerry (February 11, 2008). "Eddie Benjamin: January 2, 1953=February 5, 2008". Retrieved 2010-01-16. 
Preceded by
Socialist Equality Party Vice Presidential candidate
1984 (lost), 1988 (lost)
Succeeded by
Fred Mazelis
Preceded by
Edward Winn
Socialist Equality Party Presidential candidate
1992 (lost)
Succeeded by
Jerome White