Eldridge Hawkins facts for kids

Eldridge Hawkins was born on September 4, 1940. He is an American lawyer and a politician from the Democratic Party. He served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1972 to 1978. During his time there, he was the leader of a special committee that focused on laws, public safety, and defense. He helped write New Jersey's main criminal justice law, known as Title 2C. He also supported a law called the Affirmative Action Law, which helps make sure everyone has fair opportunities.

Early Life and Education

Eldridge Hawkins was born in East Orange, New Jersey. He went to Rutgers University and earned a degree in Political Science in 1962. Later, he studied law at Seton Hall Law School and became a lawyer in 1966.

After law school, Hawkins worked for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington D.C. This group helps prevent unfair treatment in jobs. He then became a top lawyer for Newark Legal Services, helping people in need. He also led Monmouth County Legal Services.

A Career in Law and Politics

Hawkins worked as a city prosecutor for East Orange from 1970 to 1972. In 1971, when he was 31, he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly. He ran with Peter Stewart, who was the mayor of Caldwell.

In 1973, Hawkins was elected to the Assembly again, this time with Richard Codey and Frank J. Dodd. They all won their seats.

Important Legal Work

As a lawyer, Eldridge Hawkins has helped create new legal rules, especially in cases about people's civil rights. This means he worked to protect the basic rights and freedoms of individuals. Some of his important cases include Hawkins v. Harris and Hellams v. Essex County Welfare Board.

In 1975, New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne asked Hawkins to look into a big case. Hawkins, with help from an investigator, studied the case of Rubin Carter and John Artis. He concluded that the people originally thought to be involved were not the ones responsible.

Contributions and Family

Eldridge Hawkins helped start the Garden State Bar Association, which is a group for minority lawyers in New Jersey. He also served on a special committee for the Supreme Court that deals with lawyer ethics. He has received many awards, including the first Thurgood Marshall Award from Seton Hall Law School. This award is named after a famous Supreme Court Justice who fought for civil rights.

His son, Eldridge Hawkins, Jr., became the mayor of Orange, New Jersey in 2008. His daughter, Hillary Hawkins, is an actress, producer, and writer.

Hawkins is married to Linda Cofer Hawkins. She is a businesswoman and was a pioneer for African American women in the Miss New Jersey/Miss America Pageant.