The year 1972 was one of major accomplishments in the civil rights movement. In January, Shirley Chisolm became an inspiration as the first African American to seek the presidential nomination of a major political party. In February, Wilt Chamberlain won the NBA title for the Los Angeles Lakers and was named the Most Valuable Player, securing his place as one of the most talented athletes in the history of sports. The National Black Political Convention was held in March with a crowd of ten thousand African Americans to discuss and advocate for Black communities that were in economic and social crisis across the country. And in November, Andrew Jackson Young Jr., of Georgia, and Barbara Jordan from Texas became the first African Americans in the twentieth century elected to Congress from the Deep South. This detailed account explains why 1972 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement. AVAILABLE APRIL 2023