Leon H. Sullivan
1922-2001
Pastor, Social Reformer
Human Rights Activist
Level 1 biography
Fast Facts
Leon H. Sullivan was a pastor who started by helping his congregation to help themselves.
His job training centers spread worldwide. He challenged apartheid in South Africa.
His Global Sullivan Principles are the standard for equal opportunities in the world of business.
Born: October 16, 1922, Charleston, West Virginia.
Married: Grace Banks Sullivan
Children: Howard, Hope, Julie
Died: April 25, 2001, Scottsdale, Arizona
Human Rights Activist
Level 1 biography
Fast Facts
Leon H. Sullivan was a pastor who started by helping his congregation to help themselves.
His job training centers spread worldwide. He challenged apartheid in South Africa.
His Global Sullivan Principles are the standard for equal opportunities in the world of business.
Born: October 16, 1922, Charleston, West Virginia.
Married: Grace Banks Sullivan
Children: Howard, Hope, Julie
Died: April 25, 2001, Scottsdale, Arizona
“You are like a balloon. It’s not your color that makes you rise or fall, but what’s inside of you.” - The Rev. Leon H. Sullivan
Early Life
Leon Howard Sullivan was born in Charleston, West Virginia. He was born on October 16, 1922. Leon lived with his mother and his grandmother. They were very poor. Leon’s grandmother washed clothes for other people. Leon delivered the clean clothes.
Leon was a very smart boy. He was also very good at sports. Leon and his friends wanted a football. They did not have any money to buy one. They made one out of newspaper. They stuffed it with grass and other junk.
Leon was African American. In those days there were “whites only” rules. Leon could only walk on one side of the street. He could not buy a soda at some stores. There were places he could not go. Leon knew this was wrong. He decided to spend his life trying to change things.
Education
Leon was interested in religion. When he was only 17 he became a Baptist minister. Soon after that he went to college. He went to West Virginia State College. Leon was very good at sports. He was a good basketball player. His nickname was “Goose.” The college gave him a scholarship. He would play basketball and football for the school.
Leon hurt his knee. He could not play on the college teams any more. He lost his scholarship. Leon did not give up. He got an evening job. He worked at a steel mill. That paid his college bills.
New York City
Leon met a man named Adam Clayton Powell. Rev. Powell offered Leon a job in New York City. In 1943 Leon finished college. Then he moved to New York.
Rev. Powell was the pastor of a church. The church was called the Abyssinian Baptist Church. It was in Harlem. This is a part of New York City. Leon worked as Rev. Powell’s assistant. Rev. Powell knew that Leon was very smart. He urged him to do more. Leon did. He studied theology at Union Theological Seminary. He studied sociology at Columbia University. When he finished school, Leon was ready for his own church. He became the pastor of the First Baptist Church in South Orange, New Jersey.
A Move to Philadelphia
In 1950 Leon took a new job. He and his wife Grace moved to North Philadelphia. Leon became the pastor of Zion Baptist Church on Venango Street. The church had about 500 members. Many of them had no jobs. Some young people were in trouble. The church was in a very poor area.
Leon looked for ways to help his people. In Philadelphia there were many companies. Some of them would not hire African Americans. Leon decided to change this. He joined with over 400 black pastors. They told their members to stop buying from these companies. They told them, “Don’t buy where you can’t work.”
To refuse to buy things from someone is called a boycott. Many people boycotted the companies. The boycotts hurt the companies. They agreed to hire African Americans. About 3000 jobs opened up.
The OIC
Soon Leon learned that jobs were not enough. Many of his church members could not take good jobs. They did not know how to do them. They needed to be taught.
Leon started working. He collected money from companies and agencies. He collected pennies from children. He asked everyone to help. The Philadelphia City Council gave him a building. Another group paid for teachers. Leon started a training center. It was called the Opportunities Industrialization Center. [OIC] People could learn electronics, power sewing, drafting, cabinet making, and restaurant work. Many people trained there. In 5 years, 7 more centers were opened. These centers taught commercial cooking, welding, department store sales work, dry cleaning, and laundry work.
The program was a big success. 6000 people were trained. 5000 found jobs.
The United States Government liked the program. They gave money to open more centers. OIC branches opened in 75 cities.
The Lion of Zion
Rev. Leon Sullivan was a pastor. He worked at Zion Baptist church. He preached sermons. He taught the Bible. This was not enough. He wanted more. He wanted a good life for people who didn’t have much. He was very patient. He did not shout. But he never gave up. He was brave. He asked hard questions. He stood up for justice. People called him “The Lion of Zion.”
Investing in Business
Leon had another idea. African Americans should help each other. He decided to start an investment company. People could buy shares in this company. When there were profits, the shareholders would benefit. Leon called the company Zion Investment Associates. His church members could buy shares. No one had much money. Leon made it easy to invest. He asked for 10 dollars a week for three years. He called this the 10-36 plan.
Zion Investment Associates built an apartment building. It was called Zion Gardens. The apartments were not too expensive to rent. They built a shopping center. It was called Progress Plaza. African Americans owned all of the stores. They worked in the stores. This was the first shopping center in the United States owned and operated by African Americans.
Zion Investment Associates started the Progress Garment Manufacturing Company. In 1988 they started Progress Aerospace Enterprises. The government gave money to help with this project. It trained people with no jobs to be aerospace technicians. General Electric ordered work from the company. They trusted that the work would be good.
All of these projects helped the people of North Philadelphia. Leon’s church helped in other ways. They started a day care center. They set up a community center. They helped people get loans and find jobs. They started a home for older people. Leon’s church was much bigger now. He had started with about 500 members. Now there were around 6000.
General Motors
There were many big companies in the United States. They all had a group of leaders. They were called the Board of Directors. Not one company had an African American on their board. In 1971 General Motors called Leon. They invited him to join their Board of Directors. He agreed.
General Motors did business in many countries. One of them was South Africa. South Africa had a policy called apartheid. This meant that only white South Africans had rights. Only white South Africans could vote. Black South Africans had no rights. They were treated badly.
Leon decided to change this. In 1977 he met with some business leaders. They wrote down their thoughts. They wrote down ways for businesses to act fairly. This list was soon called the Sullivan Principles. The Sullivan Principles said that American companies in South Africa should not follow South African ways. They should treat black South Africans fairly. Black South Africans should get equal pay. They should have a fair chance to get a better job. They should work in good conditions. Leon asked General Motors to sign the Principles. He asked other companies, too.
The government in South Africa was not happy with Leon. They thought he was a troublemaker. Some companies signed the Principles. This helped. But it was not enough. Leon remembered what he had done in Philadelphia. Maybe a boycott would help.
Leon asked General Motors to stop doing business with South Africa. He asked the American government to do the same. He asked universities, clubs, and businesses. He said that no one should buy from a company that did business in South Africa. Very slowly things started to change.
Equal Rights for the World
In 1982 Leon started a new group. It was the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help. Leon wanted Africans and African Americans to help each other. They could meet. They could talk about their problems. They could plan ways to help each other.
In 1988 Leon retired from his job at Zion Baptist Church. He had worked there for 38 years. He had many friends. He had helped a lot of people. Now it was time to focus on Africa.
The End of Apartheid
More and more people and groups were listening. They were avoiding South Africa. The pressure on the country was great. At last, in 1989, South Africa gave up apartheid. Soon they held an election. Both whites and blacks could vote. A black South African became president. His name was Nelson Mandela.
In 1991 the Federation had its first conference. It was held in Africa. It was called the African and African-American Summit. People talked. They planned ways to help each other. At each conference since then, more has been done.
The Global Sullivan Principles
The Sullivan Principles were about South Africa. But there was injustice all over the world. Leon updated his Principles. Now they were called the Global Sullivan Principles. Leon wanted companies to support justice in every country.
The new Principles had 8 parts. Companies should care about the countries where they do business. They should protect human rights. They should provide schools. People should have healthy place to live. They should be offered good jobs. Companies should urge their partners to do the same thing.
184 American companies have signed the Principles. Each year they must send in a report. They must tell what they have done.
Personal and Later Life
Leon’s wife was named Grace. She also was brave and strong. President Jimmy Carter met her. He called her “Amazing Grace.” Leon and Grace had three children. Their names are Julie, Hope, and Howard.
Leon wrote a book about his life. It is called “Moving Mountains.”
Leon was given many awards and honors. There is a list of them in the Level 2 Biography.
Leon became sick. He had leukemia. He died on April 25, 2001. He was 78 years old.
The Foundation is still at work. It has many programs. There is the Schools for Africa program. This builds schools and trains teachers. There are Investment funds and training programs. Leon’s work goes on
Reading Level 4.9.
Early Life
Leon Howard Sullivan was born in Charleston, West Virginia. He was born on October 16, 1922. Leon lived with his mother and his grandmother. They were very poor. Leon’s grandmother washed clothes for other people. Leon delivered the clean clothes.
Leon was a very smart boy. He was also very good at sports. Leon and his friends wanted a football. They did not have any money to buy one. They made one out of newspaper. They stuffed it with grass and other junk.
Leon was African American. In those days there were “whites only” rules. Leon could only walk on one side of the street. He could not buy a soda at some stores. There were places he could not go. Leon knew this was wrong. He decided to spend his life trying to change things.
Education
Leon was interested in religion. When he was only 17 he became a Baptist minister. Soon after that he went to college. He went to West Virginia State College. Leon was very good at sports. He was a good basketball player. His nickname was “Goose.” The college gave him a scholarship. He would play basketball and football for the school.
Leon hurt his knee. He could not play on the college teams any more. He lost his scholarship. Leon did not give up. He got an evening job. He worked at a steel mill. That paid his college bills.
New York City
Leon met a man named Adam Clayton Powell. Rev. Powell offered Leon a job in New York City. In 1943 Leon finished college. Then he moved to New York.
Rev. Powell was the pastor of a church. The church was called the Abyssinian Baptist Church. It was in Harlem. This is a part of New York City. Leon worked as Rev. Powell’s assistant. Rev. Powell knew that Leon was very smart. He urged him to do more. Leon did. He studied theology at Union Theological Seminary. He studied sociology at Columbia University. When he finished school, Leon was ready for his own church. He became the pastor of the First Baptist Church in South Orange, New Jersey.
A Move to Philadelphia
In 1950 Leon took a new job. He and his wife Grace moved to North Philadelphia. Leon became the pastor of Zion Baptist Church on Venango Street. The church had about 500 members. Many of them had no jobs. Some young people were in trouble. The church was in a very poor area.
Leon looked for ways to help his people. In Philadelphia there were many companies. Some of them would not hire African Americans. Leon decided to change this. He joined with over 400 black pastors. They told their members to stop buying from these companies. They told them, “Don’t buy where you can’t work.”
To refuse to buy things from someone is called a boycott. Many people boycotted the companies. The boycotts hurt the companies. They agreed to hire African Americans. About 3000 jobs opened up.
The OIC
Soon Leon learned that jobs were not enough. Many of his church members could not take good jobs. They did not know how to do them. They needed to be taught.
Leon started working. He collected money from companies and agencies. He collected pennies from children. He asked everyone to help. The Philadelphia City Council gave him a building. Another group paid for teachers. Leon started a training center. It was called the Opportunities Industrialization Center. [OIC] People could learn electronics, power sewing, drafting, cabinet making, and restaurant work. Many people trained there. In 5 years, 7 more centers were opened. These centers taught commercial cooking, welding, department store sales work, dry cleaning, and laundry work.
The program was a big success. 6000 people were trained. 5000 found jobs.
The United States Government liked the program. They gave money to open more centers. OIC branches opened in 75 cities.
The Lion of Zion
Rev. Leon Sullivan was a pastor. He worked at Zion Baptist church. He preached sermons. He taught the Bible. This was not enough. He wanted more. He wanted a good life for people who didn’t have much. He was very patient. He did not shout. But he never gave up. He was brave. He asked hard questions. He stood up for justice. People called him “The Lion of Zion.”
Investing in Business
Leon had another idea. African Americans should help each other. He decided to start an investment company. People could buy shares in this company. When there were profits, the shareholders would benefit. Leon called the company Zion Investment Associates. His church members could buy shares. No one had much money. Leon made it easy to invest. He asked for 10 dollars a week for three years. He called this the 10-36 plan.
Zion Investment Associates built an apartment building. It was called Zion Gardens. The apartments were not too expensive to rent. They built a shopping center. It was called Progress Plaza. African Americans owned all of the stores. They worked in the stores. This was the first shopping center in the United States owned and operated by African Americans.
Zion Investment Associates started the Progress Garment Manufacturing Company. In 1988 they started Progress Aerospace Enterprises. The government gave money to help with this project. It trained people with no jobs to be aerospace technicians. General Electric ordered work from the company. They trusted that the work would be good.
All of these projects helped the people of North Philadelphia. Leon’s church helped in other ways. They started a day care center. They set up a community center. They helped people get loans and find jobs. They started a home for older people. Leon’s church was much bigger now. He had started with about 500 members. Now there were around 6000.
General Motors
There were many big companies in the United States. They all had a group of leaders. They were called the Board of Directors. Not one company had an African American on their board. In 1971 General Motors called Leon. They invited him to join their Board of Directors. He agreed.
General Motors did business in many countries. One of them was South Africa. South Africa had a policy called apartheid. This meant that only white South Africans had rights. Only white South Africans could vote. Black South Africans had no rights. They were treated badly.
Leon decided to change this. In 1977 he met with some business leaders. They wrote down their thoughts. They wrote down ways for businesses to act fairly. This list was soon called the Sullivan Principles. The Sullivan Principles said that American companies in South Africa should not follow South African ways. They should treat black South Africans fairly. Black South Africans should get equal pay. They should have a fair chance to get a better job. They should work in good conditions. Leon asked General Motors to sign the Principles. He asked other companies, too.
The government in South Africa was not happy with Leon. They thought he was a troublemaker. Some companies signed the Principles. This helped. But it was not enough. Leon remembered what he had done in Philadelphia. Maybe a boycott would help.
Leon asked General Motors to stop doing business with South Africa. He asked the American government to do the same. He asked universities, clubs, and businesses. He said that no one should buy from a company that did business in South Africa. Very slowly things started to change.
Equal Rights for the World
In 1982 Leon started a new group. It was the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help. Leon wanted Africans and African Americans to help each other. They could meet. They could talk about their problems. They could plan ways to help each other.
In 1988 Leon retired from his job at Zion Baptist Church. He had worked there for 38 years. He had many friends. He had helped a lot of people. Now it was time to focus on Africa.
The End of Apartheid
More and more people and groups were listening. They were avoiding South Africa. The pressure on the country was great. At last, in 1989, South Africa gave up apartheid. Soon they held an election. Both whites and blacks could vote. A black South African became president. His name was Nelson Mandela.
In 1991 the Federation had its first conference. It was held in Africa. It was called the African and African-American Summit. People talked. They planned ways to help each other. At each conference since then, more has been done.
The Global Sullivan Principles
The Sullivan Principles were about South Africa. But there was injustice all over the world. Leon updated his Principles. Now they were called the Global Sullivan Principles. Leon wanted companies to support justice in every country.
The new Principles had 8 parts. Companies should care about the countries where they do business. They should protect human rights. They should provide schools. People should have healthy place to live. They should be offered good jobs. Companies should urge their partners to do the same thing.
184 American companies have signed the Principles. Each year they must send in a report. They must tell what they have done.
Personal and Later Life
Leon’s wife was named Grace. She also was brave and strong. President Jimmy Carter met her. He called her “Amazing Grace.” Leon and Grace had three children. Their names are Julie, Hope, and Howard.
Leon wrote a book about his life. It is called “Moving Mountains.”
Leon was given many awards and honors. There is a list of them in the Level 2 Biography.
Leon became sick. He had leukemia. He died on April 25, 2001. He was 78 years old.
The Foundation is still at work. It has many programs. There is the Schools for Africa program. This builds schools and trains teachers. There are Investment funds and training programs. Leon’s work goes on
Reading Level 4.9.