Paul Boutelle obit

Kwame Somburu, Perennial Socialist Candidate, Dies at 81

 

He was not on the list.

Paul Boutelle was born on October 13, 1934, and died on May 3, 2016.

He was the Socialist Workers Party candidate for U.S. Vice President in 1968.

Himself and another presidential candidate Fred Halstead were on the ballot in 19 states.

He toured around the United States during that campaign and appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including William F. Buckley, Jr.’s Firing Line, and in interviews with Joey Bishop and Dick Cavett.

Paul has spoken at numerous community meetings, universities, forums, conferences, and other venues.

He also went touring internationally during the campaign to Canada, England, Scotland, and Paris, France.

Paul Boutelle’s national tour of France was cancelled because of the nationwide worker and student strikes and protests during the spring 1968.

Boutelle sponsoring organization was one of 22 banned by the French government.

He ran for a socialist candidate for Mayor of New York City, Mayor of Oakland, California, United States Congress three times, New York State Attorney General in 1966, and Borough President of Manhattan.

He was also active in the Freedom Now Party (an all-Black party that existed from 1963 to 1965) and was its candidate for the New York State Senate in Harlem, New York City in 1964.

Paul changed his name to Kwame Montsho Ajamu Somburu, in 1979.

Paul Boutelle passed away at 81 yrs old.