As a lanky 28-year-old, he stood among the raucous crowds of the 1968 Democratic National Convention, just steps away from the infamous Chicago riots taking place outside the arena.
Georgia delegate Julian Bond was already an active participant in the civil rights movement when he was deemed fit for the national stage -- so fit, in fact, that his nomination for the vice presidency at the 1968 convention by Ted Warshafsky of Wisconsin earned him several votes despite his being too young for the office.
"No one knew how old I was," said Bond, now a professor of history at both the University and American University. "Most people don't know how old you have to be."
Though the minimum age requirement for the vice presidency is constitutionally set at 35, Bond's nomination earned him significant public attention. The nomination also gave Bond "a small chance to speak about [issues] outside the convention" in his nomination acceptance speech.
"He nominated me in part because the convention was so rigidly controlled that you couldn't get the microphone," Bond explained.
Democratic presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey had voiced his support for vice presidential candidate Edmund Muskie. Bond remembered that there were one or two other candidates that were "not serious" contenders for the vice presidency but had used the nomination as a publicity tool. Although he did receive some votes, Bond withdrew his name when the open voting, conducted alphabetically by state, reached Georgia.
"By the time [the voting] came to Georgia, I was pretty sure I wouldn't win," Bond said.
Now in the academic arena, Bond reflected on the old way of the political conventions.
"In those days there were contests, there were fights," Bond said. "And you watched. The conventions have become so mechanical now."
Bond added that he would have liked to see a moderate Republican and more competitive Democratic challengers in this year's conventions. He said political parties these days "want everything to be peace, love and happiness."
Some might compare Bond's criticism of the modern American political system to that of Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show." Bond expressed his support for the popular comedic political analyst.
"I've started watching him instead of the news," he laughed.
Bond was introduced to the world of politics at a very young age. His father was a college president who hosted many renowned personalities in the family home. Bond recalled living on various college campuses until he was 17 years old and has pictures that document this "parade of notable people," including one of his three-year-old self with civil rights leader W.E.B. DuBois and another with African-American actor Paul Robeson from Bond's early elementary school years.
Bond has a special memory of Robeson, who is perhaps best known for his rendition of "Ol' Man River" in the Broadway musical "Showboat."
"I was in his lap, and he was singing to me," Bond said. "I could feel his chest rumble -
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