photo of Harlem CORE chairmen Cyril Boynes, Jr. and George Holmes being arrested with Rev. Al Sharpton

photo of Harlem CORE chairmen Cyril Boynes, Jr. and George Holmes being arrested with Rev. Al Sharpton

Harlem CORE chairmen

This is a photo of Harlem CORE chairmen Cyril Boynes, Jr. (center, mutton chops) and George Holmes (far left) being arrested in 1984 with one time United States Presidential candidate Rev. Al Sharpton (right). They were protesting the newly increased subway fare. It demonstrates that Harlem CORE members, even at this late date, still made use of non-violent direct action as a protest tactic. The photo also speaks to how CORE influenced not just Sharpton but the next generation of New York's Black activists.

Much of Al Sharpton's mix of Black Power politics and his use of non-violent direct action, along with the name of his organization, the National Action Network (formerly located just off of 125th street) seems directly reminiscent of CORE. For example, the May 7, 2008 SEan Bell protests which called for activists to sit in at many of the city's main bridges in order to stop traffic is a tactic that originated with East River CORE's 1964 Tri-Borough Bridge sit-in. Then there are his recent efforts to 'organize "freedom walkers" to challenge the new immigration bill in Arizona', a campaign clearly reminiscent of CORE's 1947 Journey of Reconciliation and 1961 Freedom Rides. (http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/storysection=news/local&id=7405510)
This is not meant to discount the potential influence of other leaders such as Dr. King and organizations such as the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference).

Sharpton's personal relationship with CORE goes back to at least 1973 when he was a teenaged leader of his own organization, National Youth Movement, Inc., a youth oriented civil rights group.

Mario Cabrera

Associated Press

Associated Press

Jan. 4, 1984

AP Photo/ Mario Cabrera

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Harlem, 1984