The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) was officially created on Friday 21st August 1971 by Gerry Fitt, who would lead the party until John Hume – then Deputy Leader – assumed full control as only their second leader in 1979 until 2001.
The SDLP was a Nationalist political party, committed to non-violence and was a conglomeration of the various smaller parties of the time that were focused on the creation of an Irish sovereignty.
It would become the main political voice for Nationalists until Sinn Fein made gains in the 1980s, when the latter began to contest elections.
The Troubles 