The Early Life:
Al Sharpton was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 3rd, 1954. He preached his first sermon at the age of four and became known throughout Brooklyn as the "Wonderboy Preacher". As the "Wonderboy", Sharpton toured with gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.
In 1963, Sharpton's parents devastatingly split apart. As a result, Sharpton and his siblings moved with his mother to Brownsville. At the age of 10, Sharpton became a licensed minister and was ordained by Bishop F.D. Years later, Sharpton graduated from Samuel J. Tilden High School in Brooklyn and attended 2 years in Brooklyn College, but did not graduate, failing 12 out of 14 classes.
Influences:
After his days as the "Wonderboy Preacher" had ended, Sharpton began working on Reverend Jesse Jackson's operation breadbasket. In 1971, Shaprton became a tour manager for James Brown, where he met his future wife, Kathy Jordan. Sharpton states Jackson and Brown as hus two major influences in life.
Obstacles:
The majority of the obstacles Sharpton needed to overcome were the result of activism he had participated in. The first of these obstacles was in 1999, when Sharpton led a protest due to the shooting death of Amadou Diallo, a Guinea immigrant. Sharpton saw Diallo's death as unfair because Diallo was not armed and not been shot down by police. This was an example of widespread police brutality. The second obstacle was in 2001. Sharpton served three months in prison for illegally trespassing on federal property on Viques, Puerto Rico. Sharpton was protesting the United States Navy practicing targets for bombs on the island.
Contributions:
Sharpton has had many contributions to the United States, as well as several books written to describe his opinions on the country. These books were Go And Tell Pharoah and Al On America. Sharpton has also contributed by participating in many protests and even running for president in the Democratic party in 2004. Later on, the same year, Sharpton announced his endorsement for leading candidate, John Kerry. Sharpton also has a talk show called "The Al Sharpton Show".
Lessons Learned:
One lesson I learned from Sharpton is perseverance. To never give up. Sharpton suffered many consequences due to protests but he never stopped protesting. For that, Sharpton is an inspiration, not because he succeeded at times, but because he never stopped believing in what he wanted and never stopped perusing his dreams.
