The "Green" movement, its values, and politics can be traced back to the period of August 10-12, 1984, likely a result of inspiration from Green Parties and movements developing internationally (particularly in Germany) at that time, as well as from remnants of the liberal movements in the United States during the 1960s. Other influences may have included the dissolution of the Citizens Party in 1984, a political party that shared many of the same values.

On August 10-12, 1984, the Green Committees of Correspondence (GCoC) convened, marking the first formal Green gathering in the United States. It was out of this convention that the document later known as the "Ten Key Values" was derived.

It is important to note that almost immediately from its inception, the Green movement in the United States has struggled with a fundamental division between social and political Greens. The former want to focus primarily on social/community activism - educating and bettering the community at a grassroots level to affect external change. Alternatively, the latter wish to concentrate primarily on running for and winning political office, with the goal being to change the system from within. It is thought that the GCoC was founded primarily by social activists eager to better their communities (and in doing so, their society and the world).

Nevertheless, the political side of the Green Committees of Correspondence was an integral part from the beginning. In fact, it would only be a short two years after the founding of the GCoC that two Green members in Wisconsin were elected to county boards there.

By 1990, the effects of these differing priorities were seen, with the establishment of Green political parties in Alaska and California.

The next year, in 1991, the Greens/GPUSA was formed to help acknowledge the growing divide between the social- and political-activist Greens. The name itself spoke to this division and the attempt to accommodate it - the Greens were the social-activist, dues-paying members, while the GPUSA was the political arm comprised of state parties.

In 1996, the Association of State Green Parties (ASGP) was founded as an entirely independent entity from the Greens/GPUSA, and was dedicated solely to applying the Green philosophy within the political system.

The two Green political entities (only the ASGP being wholly political) coexisted decently during the period of 1996-2001. In 2000, the Greens/GPUSA and the ASGP held a joint nominating convention. Ralph Nader was the Presidential candidate for the ASGP that year, and was also endorsed by the Greens/GPUSA.

During the period of 1996-2001, both the Greens/GPUSA and ASGP were vying for recognition from the Federal Elections Commission as the official Green Party in the United States.

Shortly after the 2000 election, following the great showing by Ralph Nader, the FEC recognized the ASGP as the official Green political party of the United States. Shortly thereafter, also in 2001, the ASGP changed its name to the Green Party of the United States (GPUS).

Since 2001, the Greens/GPUSA have embraced their social-activist roots and apply the Green philosophy toward enriching their communities.

Today, the Green Party of the United States is the third largest political party in the United States. As of 2005, there are 44 states and the District of Columbia with Green Parties. There are over 200 Green elected officials at all levels of government, many in California, and including a State Senator in Maine.

Lastly, as of early May 2005, there are 304,796 registered Green voters in 22 states.

For more information:

Green Party of the United States (GPUS) - www.gpus.org
Greens/GPUSA - www.greenparty.org
Wikipedia Green Party History - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Party_(United_States)