Biographical details on Al Sharpton who began preaching at age four and became an ordained Pentecostal minister at age 10. A colorful and popular figure in the African American community, he embarked upon controversial protests that gained wide coverage in the national media and sometimes precipitated confrontations with police. In 1991 Sharpton formed the National Action Network, a civil rights organization that promoted progressive policies, including affirmative action and reparations for African Americans for the enslavement of their ancestors.