Clarence Dunnaville facts for kids

Clarence M. Dunnaville Jr. (born 1933) is an American lawyer and civil rights activist. He is known for his long career fighting for fairness and equality. Both the Virginia State Bar and the Library of Virginia have honored him for his important work.

Early Life and Education

Clarence Dunnaville Jr. was born in Roanoke, Virginia. When he was nine years old, he experienced racial discrimination firsthand. This made him want to fight for civil rights his whole life. He refused to follow unfair segregation rules, like sitting at the back of the bus. He also refused to use separate restrooms for Black people. He attended local public schools, including Lucy Addison High School. This was a school for Black students at the time. He graduated when he was 16.

Dunnaville wanted to escape segregation. So, he went to Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. While studying, he joined protests against unfair segregation. He picketed theaters and sat at lunch counters where Black people were not allowed. He met Thurgood Marshall, a famous civil rights lawyer. Marshall invited him to watch an important court case, Brown v. Board of Education, at the Supreme Court of the United States. This case was about ending segregation in schools. Dunnaville then went to St. John's University School of Law in Brooklyn, New York. In 2020, he returned to Morgan State University. He shared his experiences and achievements as a civil rights leader in a video.

A Career Fighting for Justice

After finishing law school, Dunnaville passed the New York bar exam. He became the first African American to work for the Internal Revenue Service. In 1961, he started working for Robert Morgenthau. Morgenthau was a U.S. Attorney at the time. Dunnaville considers Morgenthau his most important mentor.

Later, in 1965, Dunnaville became the first lawyer of color hired by AT&T. In 1967, his company, Western Electric, let him take time off. He used this time to work on civil rights issues. He joined the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law in Mississippi. There, he worked to make sure the Voting Rights Act was followed. This law helped protect the right of all citizens to vote. When he returned to AT&T, Dunnaville eventually became a senior attorney.

Dunnaville also helped start groups to improve opportunities for African Americans. He co-founded the Council of Concerned Black Executives. He also helped create the Association for Integration in Management. These groups worked with businesses in the 1970s and 1980s. They aimed to create more chances for Black people in the corporate world. He also led the New York Interracial Council for Business Opportunity. In the early 1980s, he co-founded Workshops in Business Opportunities. This group helped minority business owners learn important skills.

In 1990, Dunnaville moved back to Virginia. He was invited by civil rights pioneer Oliver Hill to join his law firm. In 1998, Dunnaville helped start the Oliver Hill Foundation. He continues to support restorative justice. This is a way to solve problems that focuses on repairing harm. He also works to improve pro bono service. This means providing free legal help to people who cannot afford it. He served on the Virginia Waste Management Board. He also served on the national board of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. He was also on the Board of Governors of the Virginia State Bar Diversity Conference.

Dunnaville often pushed for new legal reforms. One of his recent projects is promoting restorative justice in Virginia. This approach offers a different way to handle discipline and punishment. He has also been a strong supporter of ending "wealth-based detention." This is a system where people are held in jail just because they cannot afford to pay money for bail. He argues that this system is unfair and against the law.

Awards and Recognition

Clarence Dunnaville has received many awards for his achievements.

• In 2008, he received the Segal-Tweed Founders Award. This award recognized his long commitment to civil rights.
• From 2008 to 2009, he worked on an important case in Virginia. This case was about expanding the right to a lawyer for people who could not afford one.
• In 2009, he was named a "Leader in the Law" by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. The Virginia State Bar also gave him the Lewis F. Powell Jr. Pro Bono Award.
• In 2010, the Old Dominion Bar Association gave him the Harold Marsh Award.
• In 2012, he was the first person to receive the Clarence M. Dunnaville Jr. Achievement Award. This award from the Virginia State Bar's Diversity Conference was named in his honor.
• On March 1, 2018, the Virginia General Assembly passed a special resolution. This resolution praised him and listed many of his lifetime achievements.

Personal Life

Clarence Dunnaville's wife passed away after 42 years of marriage. He has three sons and several grandchildren. He is a lifelong member of the NAACP. This is a well-known civil rights organization. He is also a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He attends the historic Gillfield Baptist Church in Petersburg, Virginia.