Channing E. Phillips

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Channing E. Phillips (March 23, 1928 - November 11, 1987) was an American minister, civil rights leader and social activist, who made history as the first African American placed in nomination for the President of the United States by a major political party.

Born in Brooklyn to a baptist minister, he was a founding member of Coalition of Conscience, a conglomerate of local organizations working to alleviate social problems of Washington, D.C.. In 1968 he headed Robert F. Kennedy presidential campaign in D.C.

After Kennedy's assassination, he allowed his name to be placed in nomination as a favorite-son during the 1968 Democratic National Convention and received 68 votes (behind Hubert Humphrey, Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern. He said that his candidacy was meant to show the Negro vote must not be taken for granted. At time of his candidacy Phillips was a president of the Housing Development Corporation, a Government-backed housing venture in the federal capital.

In 1971 he run to become the first congressional delegate to the United States House of Representatives from D.C., but lost Democratic primary to Walter E. Fauntroy.

An advocate of full home-rule status for D.C., Phillips later moved back to the New York City, where he died at 59. He was survived by his wife, Jane, two sons: Channing D., of Washington, and John E., and three daughters: Sheilah P. Peterson, Tracy J. Phillips and Jill C. Phillips.

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