US civil rights activist Al Sharpton has officially joined the race for the Democratic Party's nomination for president in the 2004 elections, making him the first black presidential candidate in more than a decade.
"My candidacy won't be black-only," Sharpton said outside the Federal Election Commission office, where he filed campaign papers today. "I intend to debate all the issues."
"I'm the only one running in this race that is anti-war, anti-death penalty, anti-tax cuts across the board," said Sharpton, a 48-year-old New York minister.
No other candidate could "speak to the disaffected - the young people, minorities, women, gays and lesbians - with more credibility and more of a track record of advocacy than I have," he said.
He is the sixth Democrat to join the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, following Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman, who was Al Gore's running mate in 2000; outgoing Vermont governor, Howard Dean; Senators John Kerry of Massachusetts and John Edwards of North Carolina; and Representative Dick Gephardt of Missouri, the former House minority leader.
AFP