Rev. Al Sharpton announced the death of his father, Al Sharpton Sr., who passed away at 93 in Orlando, Florida. In a statement, the civil rights leader expressed mixed emotions, acknowledging the complexities of their relationship: “Our relationship was complicated, but he was still my father.”
Sharpton, 69, revealed that during the last 18 years, he has dealt with feelings of abandonment resulting from his father’s leaving when Sharpton was just ten. Despite their alienation, they eventually reconnected in a meaningful way. The elder Sharpton, who grew up in Jim Crow Florida and then relocated to New York City, became a successful businessman, owning several residential buildings in Brooklyn. However, his choices, such as leaving his family in 1963 to build a new one with Sharpton’s half-sister, had long-lasting consequences.
Sharpton shared that his father’s departure inspired his turn to the church and civil rights activism. He credited James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, as a father figure during his youth.
Although the two reunited in 2006, Sharpton has frequently pondered on his tough relationship with his father. In his Father’s Day greeting from June, he wrote, “Though he left when I was 10, we reconciled many years later.” I have benefited from his wisdom and tenacity.”
Sharpton urged others to use his father’s passing as a reminder to mend broken relationships. “May my Daddy rest in peace,” he concluded.