David Carliner facts for kids

David Carliner (born August 13, 1918 – died September 19, 2007) was a very important lawyer in Washington, D.C.. He spent his life fighting for fairness and equal rights for everyone. He was known for helping immigrants, protecting people's basic freedoms, and working for civil rights.

David Carliner was one of the first lawyers to focus on immigration law in America. He also challenged unfair laws that separated people based on race. He fought for the rights of all people to be treated equally, no matter who they were. He was also a leader in helping Washington, D.C., get more control over its own government. He worked with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), an organization that protects people's rights. He helped create new groups and served on many important boards. He even wrote books about immigrants' rights.

David Carliner's Early Life

David Carliner was the youngest of four children. His father, Leon Carliner, was an immigrant from a country now called Belarus. His mother, Cassie Brooks, came from a town in Ukraine.

David went to McKinley High School in Washington, D.C. Even in high school, he was active in politics. He believed in fighting for what was right.

He first planned to go to George Washington University. But his principal wrote a letter against him. This was because David led a protest about a canceled football game. So, the university changed its mind about letting him in.

Instead, David went to American University. Then he went to the University of Virginia. He started law school there before finishing his first degree. While in college, he kept working for fairness. He protested against unfair rules and helped organize students.

Standing Up for What's Right

In 1940, David was arrested for handing out flyers in a part of town where Black people lived. The university dean, Ivey Lewis, was not happy with David's actions. David was then told he could not return to the university. The university said it was for a different reason, but many people believed it was because of his activism.

David later got his law degree in 1941 from National University School of Law. This school later joined with the George Washington University Law School.

After college, David joined the Army in 1941. He was not allowed to become an officer because of his political beliefs. He left the Army in 1945. For a short time, he worked as a lawyer for the Army. After that, he worked for a group that supported new government programs.

In 1944, David married Miriam Kalter. She was a refugee who had fled from Nazi Germany. Miriam worked for the government on programs that helped people in need and fought against unfair treatment based on gender. They had two children, Geoffrey and Deborah. Both of their children also became successful in their careers.

David Carliner passed away from a heart attack in Washington, D.C. on September 19, 2007.

Fighting for Justice as a Lawyer

Throughout his career, David Carliner used his knowledge of immigration law to fight for civil rights. He wanted to make sure everyone had equal rights.

Challenging Unfair Laws

One of his first big cases was called Naim v. Naim. A Chinese sailor named Hay Say Naim married a white woman from Virginia, Ruby Naim. He wanted to become a permanent resident because of their marriage. But Ruby tried to end the marriage. She said that Virginia law did not allow people of different races to marry. David Carliner tried to take this case to the highest court, the Supreme Court of the United States.

He hoped the Supreme Court would say that laws against interracial marriage were unfair. But the Supreme Court decided not to rule on the case at that time. They felt it was too soon after another big civil rights case, Brown v. Board of Education. So, Virginia's law against interracial marriage stayed in place until 1967. That's when another important case, Loving v. Virginia, finally made such laws illegal across the country.

In the late 1950s, David Carliner also filed lawsuits against Virginia's laws that required public places to be separated by race.

Protecting People's Rights

David Carliner was also involved in important cases through his work with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). He strongly believed that the ACLU should protect the rights of all people.

He worked with another activist, Frank Kameny. They created a plan to directly challenge unfair treatment. In a case called Scott v. Macy, David Carliner represented Bruce Scott. Bruce had been fired from his government job. The government said it was because of "homosexual conduct." David Carliner argued that this was not a good enough reason to fire someone. The court agreed that simply saying "homosexual conduct" was not enough proof of bad behavior. This case was important because it suggested that being gay might not be a reason to lose a government job.

David Carliner also worked on another case called Boutilier v. INS. In this case, the Supreme Court allowed the government to prevent gay people from entering the United States. Even though the ruling was not what he hoped for, his work helped bring attention to these issues.

Over his 50-year career, David Carliner helped many different people. He represented famous individuals and also hundreds of everyday immigrants. He worked in a small law firm in Washington, D.C.

Working for Political Change

David Carliner was mainly a lawyer, but he also worked for social and political change in other ways. He wrote newspaper articles and spoke to Congress.

One of his most important roles was leading the District of Columbia Home Rule Committee from 1966 to 1970. He helped create a plan in 1967 that changed how Washington, D.C., was governed. This plan gave the city more local control. It replaced a system run by three commissioners with an appointed mayor and city council. People in Washington, D.C., were very thankful for his hard work.

David Carliner's Legacy

The American Constitution Society honors David Carliner's work every year. They give out the David Carliner Public Interest Award. This award goes to young lawyers who work for civil rights, civil liberties, or immigrant rights. His law firm, Carliner and Remes, P.C., still uses his name today.

David Carliner's personal and political papers are kept at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. You can also find an oral history (a recorded interview) with him at the Historical Society of the District of Columbia Circuit.

During his life, David Carliner received several awards for his important work. These included the Oliver Wendell Holmes Award from the ACLU in 1966. He also received the Immigration Law Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994.

See also

• F. Palmer Weber, a fellow student activist at the University of Virginia