Ralph David Abernathy Sr. was an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was ordained in the Baptist tradition in 1948. Being a leader of the civil rights movement, Abernathy was a close friend and mentor of Martin Luther King Jr. and collaborated with him and E. D. Nixon to create the Montgomery Improvement Association, which led to the Montgomery bus boycott and co-created and was an executive board member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Abernathy became president of the SCLC following the assassination of King in 1968 and led the Poor People's Campaign in Washington, D.C., in addition to other marches and demonstrations for disenfranchised Americans. He also served as an advisory committee member of the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE).
Ralph Abernathy, American minister and activist (born 1936)
Ralph Abernathy, American minister and activist (born 1936)
On April 17, in the year 1990, Ralph Abernathy, American minister and activist (born 1936). This event is recorded as a Notable Deaths event in the history of April 17, one of 401 recorded events on this date across all of history.
1 notable person is associated with this event, including Ralph Abernathy. Learn more below.
Key Facts
- This event took place on April 17, 1990 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Notable Deaths event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 1 Wikipedia article.
- 1 notable person is recorded as involved in or associated with this event.
- Wikipedia source last updated on 11 March 2026.
On This Date in History 401
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