Al Sharpton
Civil rights activist, Baptist minister, radio talk show host, TV personality

American Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

Quick Info

Profession	Civil rights activist, Baptist minister, radio talk show host, TV personality
Nationality	American
Date of Birth	03/10/1954
Age	71 years
Birthplace	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

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Bio/Wiki

Full Name	Alfred Charles Sharpton Jr.
Description	Internationally renowned civil rights leader and founder of the National Action Network (NAN). Dedicated to fighting for justice, equality, and civil rights for nearly half a century. Known for advocacy on police reform, voting rights, education equality, and social justice issues.

Personal Life

Religion	Baptist

Career

Key Positions	Youth director of Operation Breadbasket (1969) Founder of National Youth Movement (1971) Founder and President of National Action Network (1991) Host of radio talk show 'Keepin' It Real' (nationally syndicated by Urban One) Political analyst and weekend host for MSNBC's 'PoliticsNation' Advisor to Obama administration on race issues
Political Campaigns	Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate (1992, 1994) Mayor of New York City (1997) U.S. Presidential election Democratic nomination (2004)
Notable Activism	Led protests against hate crimes and civil rights violations Organized One Thousand Ministers March for Justice (2017) Delivered eulogy for George Floyd (2020) Advocated for police reform, voting rights, healthcare reform, and worker's rights Launched Madison Avenue Initiative (1999) to ensure fair advertising contracts with minority-owned agencies and media outlets Co-founded Second Chance program (1999) with former NYC Mayor Ed Koch and Harvard Law professor Charles Ogletree to serve non-violent felony offenders after release from prison Protested U.S. Navy bombing exercises in Vieques, Puerto Rico (2001), contributing to their eventual end

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Began as a child preacher and became involved in civil rights activism as a teenager
2. Worked alongside Jesse Jackson early in his career
3. Led a controversial ten-month boycott of Korean-owned businesses in 1990
4. Organized demonstrations in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn following the death of Yusef Hawkins in 1989
5. Has been described by former President Barack Obama as a 'voice for the voiceless' and 'champion for the downtrodden'
6. National Action Network currently operates over 100 chapters across the country with over 100,000 members
7. Was stabbed in the chest by Michael Riccardi in January 1991 during a Bensonhurst demonstration, nearly killing him; Sharpton later asked that his attacker receive a light sentence and eventually reconciled with him
8. Successfully pressured major corporations including PepsiCo, Colgate-Palmolive, and Microsoft to extend advertising dollars to African-American communities and agencies

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