On this date in 1966, Floyd B. McKissick, a civil rights attorney from North Carolina, was named the national director of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He succeeded James Farmer and played a crucial role in shifting CORE’s philosophy towards a more militant stance on Black self-determination and economic empowerment. Under his leadership, CORE moved away from its earlier integrationist approach and embraced Black Power, aligning with the broader movement advocating for racial justice and self-sufficiency.

McKissick later founded Soul City, a planned community in North Carolina aimed at providing economic opportunities for African Americans. His leadership in the civil rights movement left a lasting impact on the struggle for racial equality in the U.S.