Channing E. Phillips
Encyclopedia
Channing E. Phillips was an American minister, civil rights
leader and social activist, who made history as the first African American
placed in nomination for President of the United States
by a major political party.
to a Baptist
minister, he was a founding member of Coalition of Conscience, a conglomeration of local organizations working to alleviate social problems in Washington, D.C.
In 1968 he headed Robert F. Kennedy
's presidential campaign in D.C.
He led the delegation from the District of Columbia to the 1968 Democratic National Convention
. Members of the District's Delegation were originally pledged to Robert F. Kennedy
. Following Senator Kennedy's death, the delegation voted to nominate Rev. Phillips as a favorite son
instead. He received 68 votes (behind Hubert Humphrey
, Eugene McCarthy
and George McGovern
). By some accounts, this makes Rev. Phillips the first black person ever so nominated at a major party convention. He was without question the first African-American to receive votes for the presidential nomination at a Democratic National Convention
. Frederick Douglass
received votes for president at the 1888 Republican National Convention
, but it does not appear from the official record that his name was actually put into nomination.
Phillips said that his candidacy was meant to show that "the Negro vote must not be taken for granted." At the 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 ran to become the first congressional delegate to the United States House of Representatives
from D.C., but lost the Democratic primary to Walter E. Fauntroy
.
An advocate of full home-rule status for D.C., Phillips later moved back to New York City
, where he died at age 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.
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
leader and social activist, who made history as the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
placed in nomination for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
by a major political party.
Biography
Born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
to a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister, he was a founding member of Coalition of Conscience, a conglomeration of local organizations working to alleviate social problems in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In 1968 he headed Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
's presidential campaign in D.C.
He led the delegation from the District of Columbia to the 1968 Democratic National Convention
1968 Democratic National Convention
The 1968 Democratic National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois, from August 26 to August 29, 1968. Because Democratic President Lyndon Johnson had announced he would not seek a second term, the purpose of the convention was to...
. Members of the District's Delegation were originally pledged to Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
. Following Senator Kennedy's death, the delegation voted to nominate Rev. Phillips as a favorite son
Favorite son
A favorite son is a political term.*At the quadrennial American national political party conventions, a state delegation sometimes nominates and votes for a candidate from the state, or less often from the state's region, who is not a viable candidate...
instead. He received 68 votes (behind Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. , served under President Lyndon B. Johnson as the 38th Vice President of the United States. Humphrey twice served as a United States Senator from Minnesota, and served as Democratic Majority Whip. He was a founder of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and...
, Eugene McCarthy
Eugene McCarthy
Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician, poet, and a long-time member of the United States Congress from Minnesota. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971.In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first...
and George McGovern
George McGovern
George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election....
). By some accounts, this makes Rev. Phillips the first black person ever so nominated at a major party convention. He was without question the first African-American to receive votes for the presidential nomination at a Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
. Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...
received votes for president at the 1888 Republican National Convention
1888 Republican National Convention
-Synopsis:The 1888 Republican National Convention was a presidential nominating convention held at the Auditorium Building in Chicago, Illinois, on June 19-25, 1888. It resulted in the nomination of Benjamin Harrison, a former senator of Indiana, and Levi P. Morton, a former U.S. representative of...
, but it does not appear from the official record that his name was actually put into nomination.
Phillips said that his candidacy was meant to show that "the Negro vote must not be taken for granted." At the 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 ran to become the first congressional delegate to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from D.C., but lost the Democratic primary to Walter E. Fauntroy
Walter E. Fauntroy
Walter Edward Fauntroy is the former pastor of the New Bethel Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and a civil rights activist. He is also a former member of the United States Congress and was a candidate for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination, as well as a human rights activist...
.
An advocate of full home-rule status for D.C., Phillips later moved back to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he died at age 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.