Early Career
In 1959, Mark Lane helped found the Reform Democratic Movement within the New York Democratic Party. In 1960, he was elected to the New York Legislature, serving in the New York State Assembly, where he served for one term with the support of Eleanor Roosevelt and Presidential candidate, John F. Kennedy. In the legislature, he spent considerable time working to abolish capital punishment. Lane promised to serve for only one term, and then manage the campaign for his replacement—which he did. He also managed the New York City area's campaign for JFK's 1960 presidential bid.
In June 1961, during the civil rights movement, he was the only sitting legislator to be arrested for opposing segregation as a "Freedom Rider". In 1962 he ran for Congress in the Democratic primary and lost. In the 1968 presidential election, Lane appeared on the ballot as a third party vice-presidential candidate, running on the Freedom and Peace Party ticket with Dick Gregory.
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