Kweisi Mfume (b. 1948), worked as a popular Baltimore radio personality before forging a successful career in politics. He served on the City Council from 1978 to 1986, and in 1987 was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he led the Congressional Black Caucus. He left Congress in 1996 to become president of the NAACP and held the post until 2004. Mfume helped to revitalize the NAACP by erasing debt and increasing assets and membership. He proposed a five-point plan, which focused on “the protection of civil rights and civil liberties, voter empowerment, educational excellence, economic empowerment, and youth.” His many achievements on the domestic front included the Economic Reciprocity Initiative, TV Diversity Agreements, and the “Get Out the Vote” campaign. In international affairs, Mfume persuaded the United Nations to grant the NAACP Non-Government Organization (NGO) status, enabling the NAACP to serve as an advisor and consultant to foreign governments.