Alice Green facts for kids
Alice Green (born around 1940 – died August 20, 2024) was an American activist and a strong supporter of making prisons better. She lived in Albany, New York. In 1998, she ran for lieutenant governor as a candidate for the Green Party. Later, in 2005, she ran for mayor of Albany. Alice Green started a group called the Center for Law and Justice in 1985 and was its main leader. She passed away in August 2024.
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Early Life and Learning
Alice Green was born in the early 1940s in a small town in the Adirondacks area of Upstate New York. She grew up in a place called Witherbee.
She went to SUNY Albany (which is now called the University at Albany) and earned many degrees. She studied African-American studies, and also got master's degrees in education, social welfare, and criminal justice. She even earned a doctorate in criminal justice.
Helping Others and Early Activism
Alice Green worked as a teacher in high school and as a social worker. She also led a group called the Trinity Institution, which is now known as the Trinity Alliance for the Capital Region.
Starting in the 1960s, Alice Green became well-known for her activism. She was especially active as the head of the NAACP Legal Redress Committee, which worked to fix unfair laws and practices.
In the 1980s, she was a leader for the New York Civil Liberties Union. This group works to protect people's rights. In 1984, Alice Green started her own organization, the Center For Law and Justice, Inc.
In 1985, the Governor of New York, Mario Cuomo, asked Alice Green to join a special council. This council looked into complaints about prisons in New York State. The next year, Governor Cuomo also made her a Deputy Commissioner for probation and corrections.
Alice Green also organized protests at the yearly Martin Luther King, Jr. Day events from 1995 to 1999. These protests were against Governor George Pataki.
Running for Office
In 1998, Alice Green ran for lieutenant governor with Al "Grandpa" Lewis as her running mate. They were part of the Green Party of New York State. They received more than 52,000 votes.
In 2005, Alice Green ran for mayor of Albany. This campaign got a lot of attention in the local news. She did not win the election against the mayor at the time, Jerry Jennings. However, she still got about 25% of all the votes.
In 2008, Alice Green helped the Green Party's presidential candidate, Cynthia McKinney. Later, she supported the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama.
Continuing Her Activism
Alice Green was the executive director of the Center for Law and Justice for many years. This group is a non-profit organization that helps the community. As part of her work, she also made sure that everyone had an equal chance at jobs.
She was also a part-time professor at the University at Albany. She often wrote and gave talks about important topics like racism and how the justice system works.
Alice Green wrote a book with Frankie Y. Bailey called Law Never Here: A Social History of African American Responses to Issues of Crime and Justice (1999). She also wrote another book called "Wicked Albany: Lawlessness & Liquor in the Prohibition Era."
Her Impact and Personal Life
Alice Green received many awards for her activism in the Capital District area. These awards came from groups like the New York State Bar Association, the NAACP, and Rockefeller College.
Over the years, she became very well-known for her strong political beliefs.
Her important papers and writings have been collected and are kept at the library at the University of Albany.
Alice Green was married to Charles L. Touhey. He is the president of Touhey Associates and also serves on the board of the Center For Law and Justice, Inc. Alice Green passed away on August 20, 2024.
