Roy Innis was an American civil rights leader and the national chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). He was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s, and was known for his advocacy of self-help and economic empowerment for African Americans. He was also a vocal opponent of affirmative action and racial quotas. Innis was born in Harlem, New York, and attended City College of New York. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and later became a successful businessman. He was a frequent guest on television talk shows, and wrote several books on civil rights and race relations.