Leon Sullivan was a man of great courage who fought against inequality and the oppressive system of apartheid. He was the first African American to serve on the corporate board of a major American company, and he worked tirelessly to combat injustice and

Philadelphia OIC

The late Rev. Leon Sullivan was a transformative figure, being among the first wave of Black directors to advocate for equality and supplier diversity. He established a model for African American activism in corporate governance, having made tremendous efforts towards economic emancipation. Sullivan was listed on BLACK ENTERPRISE‘s Registry of Corporate Directors, and believed that jobs were the key to the economic development and true empowerment of African Americans. He courageously fought for equal employment practices and equitable contracting arrangements for minority suppliers, as well as urging corporations to divest from South Africa under apartheid. He was nicknamed the "Lion from Zion" and used the slogan "Don't buy where you don't work" to urge Black consumers to protest those companies who discriminated against African Americans in their hiring. Sullivan founded the Opportunity Industrial Center in 1964, a job-service training program to teach life skills to Black Philadelphians. This program still operates today, helping people move from welfare to work, from tax dependent to tax payer and from homelessness to homeownership for over 50 years.

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The late Reverend Leon Sullivan, founder of the Philadelphia-based Opportunities Industrialization Center and the first African American corporate director when he was appointed to General Motors' board in 1971, was a tremendous force for change. He represented the first wave of Black directors to firmly promote equality and diversity in supplier companies. Sullivan's exemplary efforts are still a benchmark for Black activism in corporate governance today. His tireless work towards ending inequality and apartheid is a testament to the necessity of African Americans having a seat on the board of a major publicly traded business. As a pioneer, he made notable strides towards economic liberty.



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Listed on BLACK ENTERPRISE's Registry of Corporate Directors - a list of Black board members from the 250 greatest companies on the S&P 500 - the West Virginian believed jobs were the key to economic growth and true empowerment of African Americans.



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A supporter of equality and human rights, Sullivan could see first-hand the troubles of his community, including redlining policies and urban decay. He courageously took a stance against unfair employment practices during a time of Civil Rights upheaval and the rise of Black Power. Widely known as the "Lion from Zion", Sullivan fought for equitable contracts for minority suppliers and urged corporations to divest from South Africa's apartheid system.



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From 1959 to 1963, Sullivan led a boycott of local companies, including Tasty Baking, Sun Oil, and Gulf, with the motto "Don't buy where you don't work". This garnered national attention and ultimately opened up thousands of employment opportunities for African Americans. Martin Luther King Jr. was even inspired to implement Sullivan's methods in his Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Operation Breadbasket, utilizing the strength of Black ministers and churches to create economic opportunities in Black neighborhoods.



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For 40 years, the North Philly pastor exerted his power to help organize for African-American causes, especially in the field of job opportunities. In 1964, Sullivan established the first Black-run program of its kind, the Opportunity Industrial Center, to educate Black Philadelphians in life skills and then match them to the employment needs of Philadelphia businesses. Under the motto "Helping People Help Themselves", OIC is still functioning today, in over two dozen states and around the world, transitioning people from welfare to work, from taxation dependent to taxation payer, and from homelessness to homeownership for over 50 years.



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