10th Anniversaries

Tipping-Point Provision

In spring of 2015, the Humane Party published the first outline of its Tipping-Point Provision. Per this mechanism, now part of the platform, the HP commits to co-endorse other parties’ candidates on condition that those candidates meet certain criteria and commit to the Abolition Amendment. This mechanism thereby provides another route to abolitionist victory.

Equal Rights Amendment 2

After years of researching different approaches for a Constitutional amendment guaranteeing equality under the law notwithstanding sex, sexual orientation, and gender, and after a further public-comment period, the Humane Party chose an elegantly simple approach for the text of the Equal Rights Amendment 2 that extends the text of the original ERA. The final version of the ERA2 was published in summer 2015 and remains the flagship piece of proposed equal-rights legislation in the United States.

Democracy Amendment 

Another of the HP’s charter amendments was also published in final form in summer 2015: the Democracy Amendment, which will, upon ratification, eliminate the Electoral College in favor of popular vote for U.S. President. The text draws upon that of the 17th Amendment, which established direct election of U.S. Senators. The need for the Democracy Amendment was vividly demonstrated in 2016, when a candidate who lost the popular vote by more than 2,000,000 votes still became U.S. President, ushering in an era of political chaos and attacks on many of the U.S.’s most deeply held values, such as free speech and democracy itself, as well as a physical attack on and invasion of the U.S. Capitol building some years later.

Faunacide Convention

Modeled on the United Nations Genocide Convention, the final first draft of the Faunacide Convention was also published in summer 2015. Although obtaining international consensus to the Faunacide Convention is expected to take even longer than the abolition process in the U.S. alone will, the Faunacide Convention set forth what appears to have been the first comprehensive vision and framework for planet-wide animal liberation, thus serving as a global beacon for activists worldwide.

Non-Militarization of Animals Treaty

In addition to the Faunacide Convention, the HP set forth the general parameters of its proposed Non-Militarization of Animals Treaty in spring 2015. The NMAT, modeled on the Geneva Conventions and the Outer Space Treaty, prohibits the use of animals in warfare, as well as the use of machines designed to mimic animals, and requires that animals be afforded protections as non-combatants.

Vegan, Abolitionist Presidential Candidate

In a “shot heard ‘round the world” moment for the vegan, abolitionist, animal rights and liberation movement, World Vegan Day (Nov. 1) of 2015 witnessed the announcement of the U.S.’s first vegan abolitionist candidate for U.S. President: Humane Party candidate Clifton Roberts. Roberts’ history-making campaign helped to inspire activists around the globe to get involved, not only with the Humane Party but with analogous parties in other countries, and provided a unifying message and singular rallying point for activists from many different backgrounds, approaches, and perspectives.

Abolition Day

In 2015, the Humane Party established December 6th—anniversary of ratification of the 13th Amendment—as Abolition Day, an annual, national celebration with a twofold purpose of both (i) honoring the ending of human slavery in the U.S. and (ii) promoting the end of all slavery. The first of these purposes was thereafter embraced by the other U.S. parties through enactment of Juneteenth as a federal holiday in 2021. However, the Juneteenth holiday is silent with respect to the second purpose, and Abolition Day therefore remains a day to be distinctly celebrated.

15th Anniversaries

National and State Chapter Seal Logo Series

In 2010, vegan activist and graphic artist Pilar Posada created a stunning series of Humane Party map-with-seal logos for all Humane Party entities, including the national organization as well as each yet-to-come state and territorial HP chapter. This series enabled the Humane Party to signal more clearly, and at a more visual level, the HP’s intention to fight for and win animal rights and liberation in all U.S. jurisdictions. Pilar had previously worked on the HP’s first sustained awareness-raising campaign—the “Our Team Is Beautiful” campaign, which campaign highlighted the inherent dignity of all living creatures and, some years later, would be echoed in the motto for The Humane Herald: “Right knows no gender — Truth knows no color — Beauty knows no species.” As noted in the HP’s 2018 patform, this motto for The Humane Herald also expressly incorporates the motto of Frederick Douglass’ proto-abolitionist newspaper, The North Star.

Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals Statements

A year after its 2009 launch, the HP sought to formalize some general, traditional organizational documents. Toward that end, the Humane Party held its first summit in Sedona, AZ, in spring 2010, which produced four brief, collaboratively written documents: the Humane Party’s Vision, Mission, Values, and Goals statements. While these general documents are still available for viewing, they have largely been superseded by more specific material, such as the Humane Party Platform, Humane Party Oath, the Abolition Amendment, and the Equal Rights Amendment 2, all of which were but works-in-progress at that time.

Genocide Recognition, Reparations, and Reconciliation

In 2010, the Humane Party initiated what eventually became known as the Genocide Recognition, Reparations, and Reconciliation (GRRR) Act provision, which now appears primarily in Section 15 of the platform. The GRRR, along with related platform material, seeks to remove slaveholders from U.S. landmarks, currency, and other symbolic content; to establish a national holiday both commemorating the end of human slavery and promoting the end of all slavery; to recognize that “genocide” has been committed in the U.S.’s past; to remove the 13th Amendment’s exception for slavery as punishment; and to establish a system whereby reparations could be enacted to remedy the lingering effects of these instances of genocide and slavery. At the outset, the GRRR was regarded as “extreme” or “frivolous,” but many of its positions have now gained widespread acceptance and implementation.

Looking Ahead

Anniversaries provide a moment to reflect on the many activist achievements that have already been accomplished, to appreciate how far we’ve come. People who would like to help build upon these milestones are invited to be in touch with the Humane Party and indicate your interest.