Ralph Abernathy

Released

Date of birth:11. 03. 1926

Date of death:17. 04. 1990

Age:64^{† Deceased}

Gender:Male

Race:Black

Era:1960s

State:Alabama

Time Imprisoned:

21 Days

Support

Civil Rights

Biography

Baptist minister, civil rights leader, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s closest associate. Co-founder and longtime president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Arrested an estimated 40+ times during the civil rights movement. After taking over SCLC following King's assassination, Abernathy led the Poor People's Campaign and was arrested on June 24, 1968 leading a "Day of Solidarity" march from Resurrection City on the National Mall to the U.S. Capitol; he served 20 days in DC Jail.

Cases

District of Columbia Jail

Charges: Unlawful assembly on the U.S. Capitol grounds (Poor People's Campaign / Resurrection City "Day of Solidarity" march, June 24, 1968).

Arrested: Jun 24, 1968

Released: Jul 13, 1968

Sentence: 20 days in DC Jail.

Institution State: District of Columbia

Birmingham City Jail

Charges: Criminal contempt of court

Sentence: Five days in jail and a $50 fine Verdict as recorded: Yes — affirmed by the Supreme Court, 5-4 (1967) Charges as recorded: Criminal contempt of court — for proceeding with the Good Friday and Easter 1963 marches in defiance of the Birmingham anti-demonstration injunction (Walker v. City of Birmingham)

Convicted: Yes

Institution State: Alabama

Charges: Freedom Rides campaign, Montgomery, Alabama

Arrested: May 25, 1961

Sentence: Arrested; custody duration unresolved.

Charges: Albany Movement protest, Albany, Georgia

Arrested: Dec 16, 1961

Incarcerated: Dec 16, 1961

Released: Dec 16, 1961

Sentence: Released on bond the same night.

Charges: Albany Movement protest, Albany, Georgia (July 1962)

Arrested: Jul 10, 1962

Incarcerated: Jul 10, 1962

Released: Jul 12, 1962

Sentence: About two days in jail.

Charges: Birmingham campaign — Good Friday demonstration in defiance of the anti-demonstration injunction; jailed with Dr. King, Birmingham, Alabama

Arrested: Apr 12, 1963

Incarcerated: Apr 12, 1963

Released: Apr 20, 1963

Sentence: About eight days in jail.

Charges: St. Augustine movement, St. Augustine, Florida

Arrested: Jun 11, 1964

Sentence: Arrested; custody duration unresolved.

Charges: Selma voting-rights campaign, Selma, Alabama

Arrested: Feb 1, 1965

Incarcerated: Feb 1, 1965

Released: Feb 5, 1965

Sentence: About four days in jail.

Charges: Charleston hospital workers strike, Charleston, South Carolina

Arrested: Apr 30, 1969

Incarcerated: Apr 30, 1969

Released: May 7, 1969

Sentence: About seven days in jail.

Ralph Abernathy

Biography

Cases

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