David Nolan founded the Libertarian Party in 1971. He subsequently served the party in a number of roles including National Chair, editor of the party newsletter, chairman of the By-laws Committee, chairman of the Judicial Committee, and Chairman of the Platform Committee.

Nolan was born in Washington, D.C. and spent his earliest years growing up in Maryland. During high school, he read much science fiction and came upon the works of Robert Heinlein, an author whose libertarianism shaped his own ideology, as did the works of Ayn Rand. He continued further to read the works of Ayn Rand. He enrolled at MIT, originally declaring a major in architecture before switching to political science.

Nolan is also known as the inventor of the Nolan Chart which purports to obsolete the simple left vs. right political taxonomy by separating the issues of economic freedom and social freedom.