Donald Gaines Murray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Donald Gaines Murray
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| Born | May 24, 1914 |
| Died | April 7, 1986 (aged 72) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Amherst College (BA) University of Maryland School of Law (LL.B) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Known for | Murray v. Pearson |
Donald Gaines Murray (born May 24, 1914 – died April 7, 1986) was an American lawyer. He made history by being the first African-American student to join the University of Maryland School of Law since 1890. This happened because he won a very important court case called Murray v. Pearson in 1935. This case was a big step for civil rights in the United States.
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Donald Murray's Early Life
Donald Murray was born in Philadelphia on May 24, 1914. His parents were George Lee Murray and Cecilia Lillian Gaines Murray.
He finished high school at Frederick Douglass High School in 1929. Later, he earned a college degree from Amherst College in 1934.
A Big Fight for Fairness: Murray v. Pearson
On January 24, 1935, Donald Murray tried to get into the University of Maryland School of Law. But his application was turned down because of his race. He tried to appeal to the university's leaders, but they also said no.
A group called the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity started the court case Murray v. Pearson. They wanted to fight for fairness. Donald Murray was not a member of this group, but they helped him.
At first, a lawyer named Belford Lawson worked on the case. Later, two famous lawyers, Charles Hamilton Houston and Thurgood Marshall, joined to help Murray. They were from the Baltimore National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Thurgood Marshall argued that the university's rule of keeping races separate was against the law. He said that since Maryland did not have a similar law school for Black students, Murray should be allowed to attend the "white" university. Marshall famously said:
What's at stake here is more than the rights of my client. It's the moral commitment stated in our country's creed.
The judge agreed with Murray. The judge ordered Raymond A. Pearson, the university president, to let Murray into the law school. The university tried to appeal this decision to Maryland's highest court. However, on January 15, 1936, the higher court also agreed with the first ruling.
Donald Murray was finally allowed into the University of Maryland School of Law. He did not have enough money for tuition and books. The Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity paid for his schooling until he graduated from law school.
What Donald Murray Did Next
After finishing law school, Donald Murray became a lawyer in Baltimore. He worked with the law firm of Douglass, Perkins and Murray.
He continued to work on important cases. His efforts helped remove the "color barrier" from other graduate schools at the University of Maryland. This meant that students of all races could attend these schools.
Donald Murray was also a member of the Baltimore Urban League, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. He stopped working around 1971. He passed away on April 7, 1986, at the age of 72, after being sick for some time.
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