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Judge Higginbotham's prescient critique of Justice Thomas

Read the letter here

Published shortly after Justice Clarence Thomas was confirmed to his current seat on the Supreme Court, Judge Higginbotham’s open letter is a testament to his values, his vision, and his appreciation for the history of the civil rights movement.

Charles Barkley’s Black History Month All Stars

Charles Barkley’s Black History Month All Stars

In 2016, the former NBA great spotlighted a local African American hero each day. Here's another look. All Star #1: Leon Higginbotham

BY Charles Barkley

Jan. 09, 2016

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EDUCATION:

  • Antioch College, B.A. 1949
  • Yale University Law School, LL.B, 1952

 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

  • Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney, Philadelphia, 1953-54 under D.A. Richardson Dilworth (the first black lawyer to argue in the Court of Common Pleas)
  • President, Philadelphia Chapter of the NAACP, 1960-1962
  • Appointed by President Johnson to Judge of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1964
  • Elevated by President Carter to the United States Court of Appeals in 1977, where he served until 1993
  • Founder of SAFE, the South Africa Free Election Fund, and ultimately helped draft a new constitution for post-apartheid South Africa

 

FINAL WORD:

“Judge Higginbotham’s work and the example he set made a critical contribution to the course of the rule of law in the United States and a difference in the lives of African Americans, and indeed the lives of all Americans,” said Nelson Mandela. “But his influence also crossed borders and inspired many who fought for freedom and equality in other countries.”

 

EXTRA READING:

Related from The Philadelphia Citizen:
  • Leon HIgginbotham
Not To Dis Smokin’ Joe, But…
We need to start honoring African Americans who have contributed to Philadelphia beyond sports and entertainment—like the late federal judge Leon Higginbotham

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