Clifford Durr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clifford Durr
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| Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission | |
| In office November 1, 1941 – June 30, 1948 |
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| President | Franklin D. Roosevelt Harry S. Truman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Clifford Judkins Durr
March 2, 1899 Montgomery, Alabama |
| Died | May 12, 1975 (aged 76) Elmore County, Alabama |
| Resting place | Greenwood Cemetery, Montgomery, Alabama |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Virginia Durr
(m. 1926) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | University of Alabama (B.A.) Oxford University (B.C.L.) |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Clifford Judkins Durr (born March 2, 1899 – died May 12, 1975) was a dedicated Alabama lawyer. He is remembered for helping people who were treated unfairly during a time when many were suspected of not being loyal to the government. He also famously represented Rosa Parks. Her brave stand against unfair bus rules in Montgomery, Alabama helped start the important Montgomery bus boycott in 1955-1956.
Clifford Durr came from a well-known family in Alabama. He studied at the University of Alabama and was even president of his class. Later, he earned a special scholarship called a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University in England. After returning to the United States, he became a lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama in 1924. In 1926, he married Virginia Foster.
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Clifford Durr's Early Years and Education
Clifford Judkins Durr was born in Montgomery, Alabama, on March 2, 1899. His parents were John Wesley Durr and Lucy Judkins Durr. Clifford attended private schools in Montgomery as a boy.
He began his college studies at the University of Alabama. His classmates chose him to be their class president. Later, he earned a special Rhodes Scholarship. This allowed him to study at Queen's College, Oxford University, in England. He earned a law degree from Oxford.
In April 1926, Clifford married Virginia Foster Durr. He started his law career at a firm in Birmingham, Alabama. He hoped to become a successful lawyer.
Working for the Government
By 1927, Clifford Durr became a full partner at his law firm. Even during the Great Depression that started in 1929, his family was financially stable. However, he and his wife, Virginia, saw the unfairness around them.
In 1933, Clifford left his law firm. He suggested that senior lawyers take less pay to save the jobs of younger staff. When others disagreed, he felt he could not stay. Soon after, his brother-in-law, Senator Hugo Black, helped him get a job in Washington, D.C.. He worked for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, an agency helping banks.
Clifford Durr became a strong supporter of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal" programs. He later left this job in 1941. He disagreed with how some companies were making huge profits from government contracts.
Joining the Federal Communications Commission
President Roosevelt then appointed Clifford Durr to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). This agency helps manage radio and television. Durr wanted to make sure broadcasters served the public. He worked to set aside radio channels for educational programs. He also wanted to allow more different types of people to own radio stations.
In 1945, Durr led an FCC study. It looked at whether radio stations were providing enough public service programs. The study found too much advertising and not enough educational content. The FCC then created the "Blue Book" report. This report set rules for broadcasters. It required them to offer programs about local culture, education, and community news.
Standing Up for People's Rights
Clifford Durr left the FCC in 1948. He disagreed with a new rule that required government workers to sign a "loyalty oath". This oath was a promise to be loyal to the government. Durr felt it was unfair.
After leaving the FCC, Durr opened his own law office in Washington, D.C.. During this time, many people were being investigated by the government. They were often suspected of having beliefs that were seen as disloyal. Many lost their jobs. Clifford Durr was one of the few lawyers brave enough to help these people. He often worked for free. He defended people who were truly involved in certain groups, and also those who were wrongly accused.
The FBI began watching Clifford Durr in 1942. This was because he defended a colleague who was suspected of having certain political views. His wife, Virginia, also strongly supported equal rights for all people. Their friendships and activities made them both subjects of government interest.
Durr defended many people, including scientists like Frank Oppenheimer. These individuals were being investigated by government committees.
Later, Clifford and Virginia Durr moved to Colorado. Clifford worked for the National Farmers Union. However, because of his and his wife's work for civil rights and other causes, he eventually lost this job too.
Fighting for Civil Rights
Clifford and Virginia Durr moved back to Montgomery, Alabama. They hoped for a quieter life. However, Clifford was soon called to a government hearing. This hearing was investigating the Highlander Folk School, a place where people learned about civil rights. Durr helped show that the hearing was unfair. But this caused him to lose many clients. The FBI also watched him even more closely.
Durr continued his law practice in Montgomery. He worked with another lawyer, Fred Gray. They helped African-American citizens whose rights were being violated. In March 1955, they were ready to help Claudette Colvin. She was a 15-year-old African-American girl charged with breaking bus segregation laws. However, civil rights leaders decided her case was not the best one to challenge the unfair laws.
Supporting Rosa Parks
Then, in December 1955, police arrested Rosa Parks. She bravely refused to give up her seat to a white man on a bus. Clifford Durr quickly got involved. He called the jail to find out the charges. He and his wife went with E.D. Nixon to bail her out. They then met with Rosa Parks to discuss fighting the charges.
Clifford Durr and Fred Gray represented Rosa Parks in her court cases. They challenged the unfair bus segregation laws. This important case helped launch the Montgomery bus boycott.
Durr continued to help activists in the Civil Rights Movement. Friends and supporters helped him financially. He closed his law firm in 1964. After retiring, he gave talks in the United States and other countries. Clifford Durr passed away in 1975.
