Biography of American Civil Rights Activist, Al Sharpton
Al Sharpton
“The Reverend”
Full Name: Alfred Charles Sharpton, Jr.
Born: October 3, 1954
Brooklyn, NY
Occupation: Baptist Minister
Civil Rights/Social Justice Activist
Radio/Television talk show host
Education: Graduated from Samuel J. Tilden High School in Brooklyn, NY
Dropped out of Brooklyn College after 2 years
Chronology:
•
Born in Brooklyn, NY to father Alfred Sharpton Sr. and Ada Richards, then raised in Queens,
NY. [1954]
•
Preached first sermon, “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled” at Washington Temple Church of God at age 4 to an audience of over 800 people. [1959]
•
At the age of 7, Al Sharpton first heard of the struggles with race issues through the stories of his grandfather, who was beaten by white men for “not getting out of the way” [1963]
•
Al Sharpton 's parents divorced, and his father refused to help the family financially. Sharpton 's mom was forced to move herself and her kids back to Brooklyn. [1964]
•
Preached a sermon before a Mahalia Jackson performance at New York 's World Fair and went on to tour with her to continue his preaching. [1964]
•
Bishop Frederick Douglas Washington officially ordained him as a minister. [1964]
•
On April 4th, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr., one of Al Sharpton 's idols, was assassinated. [1968]
•
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference appoints Al Sharpton as Youth Director for
Operation Breadbasket, a program that organized boycotts against businesses using unfair employment methods. [1969]
•
Founded the National Youth Movement, an association for young people dedicated to activism.
The National Youth Movement also raised resources for impoverished youth [1971]
•
Shirley Chisholm, a black congresswoman from New York City, had the assistance of Al
Sharpton during her campaign for presidency [1972]
•
Remained active in many aspects, including promotion for artists like James Brown [1973], then The Jacksons ' Victory Tour
“The Reverend”
Full Name: Alfred Charles Sharpton, Jr.
Born: October 3, 1954
Brooklyn, NY
Occupation: Baptist Minister
Civil Rights/Social Justice Activist
Radio/Television talk show host
Education: Graduated from Samuel J. Tilden High School in Brooklyn, NY
Dropped out of Brooklyn College after 2 years
Chronology:
•
Born in Brooklyn, NY to father Alfred Sharpton Sr. and Ada Richards, then raised in Queens,
NY. [1954]
•
Preached first sermon, “Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled” at Washington Temple Church of God at age 4 to an audience of over 800 people. [1959]
•
At the age of 7, Al Sharpton first heard of the struggles with race issues through the stories of his grandfather, who was beaten by white men for “not getting out of the way” [1963]
•
Al Sharpton 's parents divorced, and his father refused to help the family financially. Sharpton 's mom was forced to move herself and her kids back to Brooklyn. [1964]
•
Preached a sermon before a Mahalia Jackson performance at New York 's World Fair and went on to tour with her to continue his preaching. [1964]
•
Bishop Frederick Douglas Washington officially ordained him as a minister. [1964]
•
On April 4th, 1968, Martin Luther King, Jr., one of Al Sharpton 's idols, was assassinated. [1968]
•
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference appoints Al Sharpton as Youth Director for
Operation Breadbasket, a program that organized boycotts against businesses using unfair employment methods. [1969]
•
Founded the National Youth Movement, an association for young people dedicated to activism.
The National Youth Movement also raised resources for impoverished youth [1971]
•
Shirley Chisholm, a black congresswoman from New York City, had the assistance of Al
Sharpton during her campaign for presidency [1972]
•
Remained active in many aspects, including promotion for artists like James Brown [1973], then The Jacksons ' Victory Tour
Cited: 1. Al Sharpton. King, Coretta Schott, Marcovitz, Hal, Al Sharpton, 2002 2. Sharpton, A., & Walton, A. (1996). Go and tell Pharaoh: The autobiography of the Reverend Al Sharpton. New York: Doubleday. 3. Klein, Michael. The Man Behind the Sound Bite: The Real Story of the Rev. Al Sharpton. New York, NY: Castillo International, Inc., 1991. Print. 4. Castillo International, Inc.. Independent Black Leadership in America. New York, NY: Castillo International, Inc., 1991. Print.