NAN In Action — A One-Year Timeline

October 15, 2011
Rev. Al Sharpton and NAN along with partners in labor, education, civil rights, and clergy from across the country, held a mass march for jobs and justice the weekend of the unveiling of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial on the National Mall

October 19, 2012
NAN 2nd Annual Triumph Awards took place at Jazz at Lincoln Center honoring Tyler Perry, Chris & Malaak Rock, The Honorable Judge Greg Mathis, Lamman Rucker and the Cast of Black Angels Over Tuskegee and others.

October 24, 2011
Rev. Sharpton and NAN’s National Executive Director Tamika D. Mallory met with the parents of Zurana Horton who died after she was shot in the chest while shielding a group of children from bullets fired from a Brownsville rooftop. NAN provided support to the family and helped with the funeral.

October 25, 2011
Rev. Al Sharpton and NAN attended the police trial for the officers that killed Sean Bell

October 27, 2012
Attorney Michael A. Hardy, NAN EVP and General Counsel, led the monthly “NAN Legal Night” offering free counsel on civil rights cases.

October 29, 2011
Rev. Sharpton delivered the eulogy for Zorana Horton and spoke about how gang shootings are putting the community under siege

November 2011
National Action Network’s Youth Move led a Shake-Off the Violence tour and coast-to-coast cease fire coordinated by then 13-year-old National Youth Director and the founder of Youth in Action Mary-Pat Hector.

November 5, 2011
National Action Network joined hundreds of activists for a “Ride, March, Rally” in an effort to show a mass united front against gun violence in the wake of the Zurana Horton killing in Brownsville, NY.

November 21, 2011
Rev. Al Sharpton interviewed President Obama on his nationally syndicated radio show, “Keepin it Real” about issues impacting the community.

December 5, 2011
Reverend Al Sharpton, and Reverend Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson, Chairman of National Action Network and Senior Pastor of Grace Baptist Church, jointly condemned Donald Trump for his comment on the Today Show that “There are no positive role models in the African-American Community other than Barack Obama.”

December 9, 2011
NAN led a 25-city rally for Jobs and Justice in key cities including Ohio, Wisconsin, New York, Detroit, Houston and more.
December 15, 2011
Rev. Al Sharpton and NAN applauded the United States Justice Department for investigating the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Joe Arpaio, affirming NAN’s multi-year protests against the Sheriff’s continual engagement in “unconstitutional policing,” by unfairly targeting Latinos for detentions and arrests as well as retaliating against those who complain.

December 19, 2011
NAN gave away hundreds of turkeys at NAN headquarters and at the Sean Elijah Bell Community Center.

December 25, 2011
National Action Network fed the hungry on Christmas Day and gave away toys to children.

January 17, 2012
NAN National Executive Director Tamika D. Mallory went on a fact-finding trip to Haiti focusing on rebuilding efforts.

January 16, 2012
On King Day in Washington, DC, NAN hosted the annual Martin Luther King Day Breakfast honoring those that have helped continue the legacy of Dr. King in their respective fields. Recipients include legendary music impresario Berry Gordy, Alexis Herman and others including a special address by Senior Advisor to President Obama, Valerie Jarrett.

January 16, 2012
On King Day in New York City, NAN held the annual King Day Public Policy Forum featuring activists and elected officials who spoke to the community about carrying on the King tradition and in particular, about the issue of gun violence and how it is impacting the community. It was attended by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and others.

January 17, 2012
Dominique Sharpton spoke at the Peace Week press conference at City Hall in New York against gun violence

February 4, 2012
Tamika D. Mallory, National Executive Director of National Action Network organized NAN women and other women of color to speak out on the decision of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to discontinue giving hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to Planned Parenthood Federation.

February 4, 2012
The family of Ramarley Graham, the unarmed 18-year-old who was killed by NYPD Officers, attended National Action Network’s live weekly rally to thank NAN for the support in receiving justice for their son.

February 7, 2012
Rev. Sharpton & NAN announced a 5-day March commemorating the historic 1965 Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March. The march would begin at the Edmund Pettus Bridge ending with a rally at the Alabama State Capitol on Friday, March 9. The March was in support of Voting Rights and to highlight the continuing efforts against Voter Suppression. This includes the efforts to defeat Voter Identification Laws and reverse anti-Immigration laws in the state of Alabama.

February 13, 2012
Rev. Sharpton and NAN and the family of Ramarley Graham met with Bronx D.A. Robert Johnson to call for an indictment of the NYPD officer that shot Ramarley

February 16, 2012
Over a dozen members of Congress joined Rev. Sharpton and NAN on Capitol Hill to announce groups supporting NAN’s march from Selma to Montgomery.

February 18, 2012
Rev. Sharpton delivered the eulogy for Ramarley Graham.

March 3, 2012
Rev. Sharpton and NAN held a press conference to protest new proposed Congressional lines in New York calling it a setback in civil rights.

March 4, 2012
Rev. Al Sharpton and NAN begin the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Marchers started at the Edmund Pettus Bridge

March 9, 2012
Rev. Al Sharpton and NAN completed the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Marchers started at the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Sunday, March 4th and walked 11-miles daily while staying in the communal campsite of Macedonia Ministries along Route 80.

March 22, 2012
Rev. Al Sharpton and NAN begin leading national protests and rallies around the death of Trayvon Martin

March 23, 2012
Under the leadership of NAN’s National Executive Director Tamika D. Mallory, NAN leads anti-violence campaigns across the country and works on a local and national level to bring attention to the crisis of gun violence. NAN worked with the police on a local level to initiate gun buy back programs and on a national level to urge the federal government to shed light upon the crisis.

April 11-14, 2012
Rev. Al Sharpton and NAN convene in Washington, DC for NAN’s annual national convention at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center featuring a who’s who in politics, civil rights, education, business, the church, Corporate America and much more. The four day event honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and consisted of a series of plenary sessions, panels and special events. Featured Plenary speakers and special guests included: the Attorney General of the U.S. Eric Holder, Harvard University Professor Dr. Charles Ogletree, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, David Gregory (NBC’s Meet the Press Moderator), U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and more.
April 14, 2012
NAN’s national convention closes with a televised symposium taking place at Howard University entitled: “Measuring the Movement: Black Leadership’s 12-Month Action Plan” featuring Black leaders of constituencies across the country. For the third year, leaders assessed where we are and what they and their respective organizations will pledge to do over a 12-month time-frame to further critical issues impacting people of color.

April 18, 2012
NAN hosts its 14th Annual Keepers of the Dream Awards at Cipriani Wall Street honoring Richard Parsons Chairman of Citigroup and the former Chairman and CEO of Time Warner, Denzel & Pauletta Washington, Karla Ballard, Chief of Strategic Development, Media and National Partnerships One Economy and Doug Morris CEO of Sony Music Entertainment. There will be special remarks by Bill Cosby and a special performance by John Legend

April 26, 2012
Rev. Al Sharpton and National Action Network joined with community leaders and clergy to mark the 20th anniversary of the Rodney King beating by urging people to come together on key issues and by urging conflict resolution stressing that violence is not the answer.

April 29, 2012
The family of Tamon Robinson came to NAN headquarters to appeal for justice and answers as to why NYC Police officers ran over their unarmed son.

May 9, 2012
Rev. Sharpton and NAN salute President Obama’s statement supporting same-sex marriage calling it an important and historic and that we must support civil rights for everybody or we don’t support them for anyone.

May 12, 2012
Rev. Sharpton received an honorary degree from Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA.

May 14, 2012
Reverend Al Sharpton and NAN launch of the NAN 100,000 National Membership Drive from May 15-June 15th with the intention of using national members to rally against Voter ID and Stand Your Ground Laws in states across the country where they are applicable. NAN members mobilized and educated voters and rallied against voter ID legislation.

June 17, 2012
Tens of thousands marched down 5th ave in a silent Fathers day march against the discriminatory and ineffective New York Police Department policy, Stop & Frisk that affects hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, each year.

June 17, 2012
Rev. Al Sharpton speaks at the funeral for Rodney King calling him a symbol of civil rights and he represented the anti-police brutality and anti-racial profiling movement of our time

June 28, 2012
NAN’s Ministers Initiative kicked off the Voter Engagement Tour in Eatonville, FL and in key states across the country where voter suppression and disenfranchisement is practiced and voter identification laws are prevalent.

July 1, 2012
Reverend Dr. Al Sharpton is honored by BET (Black Entertainment Television) with the Humanitarian Award presented for his unwavering commitment to political activism and social reform over the last five decades.

July 10, 2012
Martin Luther King, III, the eldest son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. joins NAN’s Voter Engagement tour in Atlanta, Georgia.

July 26, 2012
NAN’s National Executive Director Tamika D. Mallory organized a group of prominent women to stand with Shianne Norman, the Mother of 4-year-old Lloyd Morgan, Jr. who was shot by a stray bullet near a basketball court. Among the women that stood with her were Rev. Elaine Flake, Greater Allen AME Church, Hazel Dukes, NY NAACP, Cheryl James, “Salt” from the legendary Salt-N-Pepa and more.

July 26, 2012
Rev. Al Sharpton witnesses President Obama signing an Executive Order establishing the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans in the Oval Office.

July 28, 2012
Rev. Sharpton and NAN announce they will convene a Lloyd Morgan, Jr. Convocation and “Occupy the Corners” movement for 4-weekends

September 6, 2012
Rev. Sharpton and NAN host the nation’s most prominent Black clergy and civil rights leaders at NAN’s Ministers Luncheon during the Democratic National Convention.

September 19, 2012
NAN’s National Executive Director Tamika Mallory delivers a speech for the Community Service Society to an audience of formerly incarcerated people, direct service providers, government agency representatives and community activists, about the importance of civic engagement

September 19, 2012
NAN hosts the “Action & Authority” Reception during the Congressional Black Caucus 2012 legislative Conference honoring Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, US House of Representatives, Heather Foster, White House Office of Public Engagement, Minyon Moore, Dewey Square Group and Angela Rye, Congressional Black Caucus

September 25, 2012
NAN’s National Executive Director Tamika D. Mallory, joined religious leader Rev. Herbert Daughtry in exercising civil disobedience in protest of the closings of New York daycare centers.

September 25, 2012
On National Voter Registration Day NAN’S “Voter Engagement Tour” took place in Columbia, South Carolina. Rev. Sharpton and NAN joined with Congressman James Clyburn to register voters. NAN registered voters in five other cities including Detroit, Atlanta and Los Angeles.

October 6, 2012
The family of Noel Polanco, the unarmed Army National Guardsman killed by the NYPD, attended NAN’s weekly rally seeking NAN’s help in obtaining justice for their son.

October 12, 2012
Rev. Sharpton delivered the eulogy for Noel Polanco

Oct 16, 2012
NAN Triumph Awards honoring Sean “Diddy” Combs, George Lucas, and Ingrid Saunders Jones took place in New York City at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Oct 18, 2012
NAN continues a national Voter Engagement Tour with stop in Philadelphia, PA.

October 20, 2012
Rev. Al Sharpton joined Sensata workers in Illinois for a rally at Bainport in protest of Bain’s decision to ship 170 American jobs to China.

October 27-28, 2012
Rev. Sharpton and NAN’s Floride chapter conducted “Souls to the Polls” to get people out to vote

November 2, 2012
National Action Network launched a supply drive with the NYPD to deliver to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

November 4, 2012
National Action Network Executive Director Tamika Mallory & NAACP Chairman Roslyn Brock Lead GOTV Effort in Florida on the Sunday before Election Day.

November 16, 2012
Rev. Al Sharpton and other leaders of civic organizations met with President Obama about the “fiscal cliff.”

November 28, 2012
President Barack Obama delivered remarks at the White House to middle class Americans and NAN leadership was in attendance including NAN’s Washington, DC Bureau Chief Janaye Ingram and NAN’s Detroit Chapter President Rev. Charles Williams, III.

December 1, 2012
NAN’s launched the Health and Wellness Initiative with Education for America (EBA) with weekly health and fitness classes and more.

December 8, 2012
NAN hosted New York State Senators as Rev. Sharpton and NAN rallied to ensure civil rights are protected in the state legislature.

December 25, 2012
NAN fed the hungry and gave away toys to children on Christmas at the “House of Justice” NAN’s Harlem’s headquarters.