Sullivan, Leon Howard

▪ 2002

      American clergyman and civil rights leader (b. Oct. 16, 1922, Charleston, W.Va.—d. April 24, 2001, Scottsdale, Ariz.), was instrumental in helping to end apartheid in South Africa, in part by developing the “Sullivan Principles,” a code of conduct for companies operating in that country. After graduating from West Virginia State College, Sullivan studied theology at Union Theological Seminary, New York City, and sociology at Columbia University, New York City. In 1950 he became pastor of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Philadelphia, a post he held until 1988. In 1964 Sullivan founded the Opportunities Industrialization Center, a job-training program for minorities. In 1977, six years after being named the first African American board member of General Motors Corp., he drew up the Sullivan Principles, which called for, among other things, equal pay and training opportunities for South African workers, regardless of race. In the mid-1980s Sullivan called for a multinational boycott of South Africa and persuaded many companies to pull out of the country. After Nelson Mandela was freed from prison in 1990, Sullivan worked with him to encourage companies to return to South Africa. Sullivan was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992.

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