Clennon Washington King Jr. facts for kids

Clennon Washington King Jr. (born July 18, 1920 – died February 12, 2000) was an important African-American man. He was the second African-American to run for President of the United States. Because he often tried to make changes and run for office, people called him "The Black Don Quixote." This nickname meant he was a dreamer who fought for what he believed in.

His Family

Clennon King was the oldest of seven children. His father, Clennon Washington King Sr., was a civil rights activist. He even drove Booker T. Washington, a famous leader. Clennon's mother was Margaret Allegra Slater.

His family was very involved in civil rights. His brother, C. B. King, was a lawyer. A courthouse was later named after him in Albany, Georgia. Another brother, Slater King, was a successful real estate broker. His youngest brother, Dr. Preston King, received a special pardon from President Bill Clinton. These actions were all connected to their work for civil rights.

Fighting for Equal Rights

In 1957, Clennon King worked as a history professor at Alcorn State University. He wrote letters and articles about racial integration, which means bringing people of different races together. These writings caused some trouble. Students first stopped attending his classes. Then they threatened to boycott the whole school. Because of this, the school president lost his job.

In 1958, King tried to enroll one of his children in an all-white elementary school in Mississippi. This would have been the first time an African-American child attended that school. However, his wife and children had to leave the area for safety.

That same year, he applied to the all-white University of Mississippi. For trying to attend, he was sent to a hospital for treatment. His brother, C.B. King, helped him get out. Clennon King also sought help from Martin Luther King Jr.. They met, and Martin Luther King Jr. later wrote to the governor to support Clennon King. Just two years later, James Meredith became the first black student at that university.

Running for President in 1960

In 1960, King ran for president. He was a candidate for the Independent Afro-American Party. His running mate was Reginald Carter. He received 1,485 votes in Alabama. Some people say this made him the first African-American candidate for President.

He came in eleventh place out of twelve candidates. John F. Kennedy won the election with many more votes. Even so, Clennon King's effort was important. He showed that African-Americans could run for the highest office in the country.

He made two more attempts to run for high offices. In 1970, he tried to run for governor of Georgia. His brother C.B. King also ran in that election. Clennon King wanted to run without paying a fee, but he was not allowed. He continued to run as a write-in candidate, meaning people had to write his name on the ballot. He received very few votes.

After that, he started a new campaign for president. This time, he was the candidate for his "Vote for Jesus Party." He again tried to avoid certain requirements for running in Delaware, but he was not successful.

Trying to Integrate Jimmy Carter's Church

In 1976, the night before the presidential election, King tried to attend the all-white Baptist church of candidate Jimmy Carter. This church was in Plains, Georgia. The pastor wanted to let him in. However, the church leaders wanted to follow a rule from 1965. This rule kept out "all Negroes and civil rights agitators."

Because of this, they closed the church for services that night. The pastor later resigned. Newspaper stories reported on this event, showing King's continued fight for integration.

Other Campaigns

In 1979, King ran for several offices at the same time. He ran for County Commissioner, City Commissioner, and for the House of Representatives in Georgia.

In 1996, King ran for mayor of Miami, Florida. He had moved there in 1979. He ran as the candidate of the "Party of God."

Death

Clennon King founded the non-denominational Church of the Divine Mission in 1981 in Miami, Florida. He called himself "Reverend Rabbi" and "His Divine Blackness." He passed away in 2000 after being in the hospital.