George Crockett Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Crockett Jr.
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 13th district |
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| In office November 4, 1980 – January 3, 1991 |
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| Preceded by | Charles Diggs |
| Succeeded by | Barbara-Rose Collins |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 10, 1909 Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | September 7, 1997 (aged 88) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Ethelene Jones Crockett Harriette Chambliss |
| Alma mater | Morehouse College University of Michigan Law School |
George William Crockett Jr. (born August 10, 1909 – died September 7, 1997) was an important African-American lawyer, judge, and politician from Michigan. He helped start the first law firm in the United States that included people of different races. He also served as a national leader for the National Lawyers Guild.
Contents
Early Life and Family
George Crockett Jr. was born in Jacksonville, Florida. His parents were George William Crockett and Minnie Amelia Jenkins. He had two siblings, Alzeda and John. His father was a church pastor and a skilled carpenter. George Jr. also enjoyed carpentry as a hobby when he grew up.
His mother, Minnie, was a kind woman who taught Sunday School and wrote poetry. She believed that children should always try to achieve more than their parents. George Jr. truly lived by his mother's wise words.
Education and Early Career
George Crockett Jr. finished high school in Jacksonville. In 1931, he earned a degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. This was a famous college mainly for black students. He later received an honorary degree from Morehouse in 1972.
In 1934, he earned a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. After that, he went back to Jacksonville to practice law. At that time, very few African Americans were lawyers in Florida.
Working as a Lawyer
George Crockett Jr. helped create the National Lawyers Guild in 1937. This was the first bar association in the country that welcomed lawyers of all races. He later became a national leader for this group.
He was the first African-American lawyer to work for the United States Department of Labor. From 1939 to 1943, he worked on cases about fair employment. These cases were part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal" programs. In 1943, he also worked as a hearing officer for the Federal Fair Employment Practices Commission.
Later that year, the United Auto Workers union hired him. He worked to stop "hate strikes" by white workers who were protesting against black workers moving North for jobs.
In 1946, Crockett and his partners started a law firm in Detroit, Michigan. It was called Goodman, Crockett, Eden, and Robb. Many believe it was the first law firm in the U.S. with lawyers of different races.
Defending Important Cases
In 1948, Crockett joined a legal team in New York. They defended 11 leaders of the Communist Party. These leaders were accused of trying to overthrow the government. This was a violation of a law called the Smith Act.
During this trial in 1949, Judge Harold Medina sent Crockett and four other defense lawyers to prison. They were accused of not following the judge's rules, which is called "contempt of court." Crockett spent four months in a federal prison in Kentucky in 1952. Even after this, he continued to speak out against unfair accusations and investigations.
He also represented future Detroit mayor Coleman Young in 1952. This was before a group called the House Un-American Activities Committee. This committee was known for unfairly accusing people of being disloyal to the country.
Helping Civil Rights Workers
In 1964, many young people went to the U.S. South to help with the Civil Rights Movement. Crockett asked lawyers from the National Lawyers Guild to go with them. He opened the Guild's office in Jackson, Mississippi. He also led the "Mississippi Project" during the 1964 Freedom Summer. This project brought together different groups to provide legal help for civil rights workers.
That year, three civil rights workers, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, were murdered. They had been arrested by police near Philadelphia, Mississippi. Crockett sent Guild lawyers to search for them. He even searched for them himself. He later shared his sadness about this time in a documentary.
Serving as a Judge
In 1966, George Crockett Jr. was elected as a Judge of Recorder's Court in Wayne County, Michigan. This court handled criminal cases.
In 1969, a Detroit police officer died in a shooting outside New Bethel Baptist Church. Police officers then fired into the church and arrested over 150 people inside. The church pastor called Judge Crockett early that morning.
Judge Crockett went to the police headquarters and opened a temporary court. He decided that the police did not have enough reason to hold so many people. He released 130 of them. This caused a big controversy. Some people were angry, but the black community and other groups supported Judge Crockett.
In 1974, Crockett became the Chief Judge of Detroit's Recorder's Court. He served there until he retired in 1978.
Becoming a Congressman
In November 1980, George Crockett Jr. was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He represented Michigan's 13th congressional district as a member of the Democratic Party. He was 71 years old when he took office.
He served in Congress from November 4, 1980, to January 3, 1991. During his time in Congress, he was part of the Congressional Black Caucus. He also served on important committees like the House Judiciary Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Fighting Apartheid
As a member of the Africa Subcommittee, Congressman Crockett wrote the Mandela Freedom Resolution. This resolution asked the government of South Africa to release Nelson Mandela and his wife Winnie Mandela from prison. The resolution passed in Congress in 1984.
Crockett continued to speak out against apartheid in South Africa. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation and discrimination. He even protested in Washington, D.C., against apartheid and was jailed for it with Detroit Mayor Coleman Young.
In 1990, Congressman Crockett announced his retirement from Congress. He said he had worked for 68 years and championed "unpopular causes." He felt honored to serve the people of Michigan.
Family Life
George Crockett Jr. and his first wife, Ethelene, had three children: Elizabeth, George W. Crockett III, and Dr. Ethelene Crockett Jones. His son, George III, also became a judge. George Jr. had nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. His nephew, Rear Admiral Benjamin Thurman Hacker, was a high-ranking officer in the U.S. Navy.
After his first wife passed away, George Crockett Jr. married Dr. Harriette Clark Chambliss. She was a pediatrician in Washington, D.C.
George Crockett Jr. is buried in Laurel, Delaware. His family has a street named after them in that area.
Honors and Legacy
George Crockett Jr. received many honors throughout his life:
- In 1972, he received an Honorary L.L.D. degree from Morehouse College.
- He was recognized by the Cotillion Club of Detroit in 1972.
- In 1986, he received the Kappa Alpha Psi Laural Wreath Commission for his outstanding achievements.
His legacy continues through several schools and programs named in his honor in Detroit:
- The George Crockett Academy, a K-8 charter school.
- The George Crockett Consortium High School for grades 9-12.
- The George W. Crockett Jr. Community Law School, a public education program.
His first wife, Ethelene, also has a school named after her in Detroit, the Ethelene Jones Crockett Technical High School.
Writings and Legal Cases
George Crockett Jr. wrote several articles about law and society:
- A Black Judge Speaks (1970): Discusses racism in the courts.
- Freedom is Everybody's Job! (around 1949 or 1950).
- Michigan Blitzed: A Reagan Budget Case Study (1981).
- Racism in the Law (1969): Points to positive changes in the fight against racism in law.
- Reflections of a Jurist on Civil Disobedience (1971).
He was also involved in important legal cases, including:
- United States of America v. William Z. Foster, Eugene Dennis and others (1948): This was the case where he defended the Communist Party leaders.
Images for kids
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A 16-page pamphlet about freedom, related to one of Crockett's writings.
See also
