Heman Marion Sweatt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Heman M. Sweatt
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Heman Marion Sweatt
December 11, 1912 |
| Died | October 3, 1982 (aged 69) |
| Alma mater | Wiley College |
| Occupation | African American Civil Rights Activist |
Heman Marion Sweatt (born December 11, 1912 – died October 3, 1982) was an important African-American activist. He fought against unfair Jim Crow laws that kept Black people separate. He is famous for his lawsuit, Sweatt v. Painter. This case helped end the idea of "separate but equal" in schools. It was a big step towards ending segregation in colleges across America.
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Early Life and Education
Heman Marion Sweatt, also known as "Bill," was born in Houston, Texas, on December 11, 1912. He was one of six children. His father, James Sweatt, was a teacher who taught Heman and his siblings to value education.
Heman grew up in a part of Houston that was somewhat mixed. However, he still faced racism and strict Jim Crow laws. These laws enforced segregation, meaning Black people were kept separate from white people.
Heman attended Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, from 1930 to 1934. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. People at Wiley College thought he was a very smart student.
After college, he worked as a teacher. In 1937, he briefly studied at the University of Michigan. He wanted to become a doctor. However, he decided to return to Texas and work as a postal carrier.
Fighting for Equal Rights
Heman Sweatt was always concerned about fairness. He saw how Black workers were treated unfairly in the post office. They could not get promoted to higher jobs. He spoke up about this as a leader in the National Alliance of Postal Employees.
He also helped people register to vote. He raised money for lawsuits against unfair voting rules. These experiences made him interested in law. In the mid-1940s, he decided to go to law school.
He asked a lawyer named William J. Durham for help. Durham knew that Texas did not have a law school for Black students. He told Sweatt to apply to the University of Texas School of Law.
Sweatt agreed to apply. He also said he would be the person to file a lawsuit if he was rejected because of his race. This was a brave decision. He worked with the NAACP to challenge the unfair system.
The Sweatt v. Painter Lawsuit
Heman Sweatt officially applied to the University of Texas School of Law. The university president, Theophilus Painter, held his application. He was waiting to hear about the segregation laws. Painter told Sweatt that he could not let him into the university because of his race.
Sweatt was told he could only get scholarships to go to out-of-state schools. A court later said that Sweatt had all the right qualifications to be admitted, except for his race.
When the attorney general upheld the segregation laws, Sweatt was denied entry. So, on May 16, 1946, Sweatt filed a lawsuit against Painter.
The first judge said Texas had to build an equal law school for Black students within six months. After six months, the case was dismissed. This was because Texas A&M said it would create a law program for Black students.
Sweatt and the NAACP appealed this decision. The case went to a lower court, which agreed with the Texas A&M plan.
Finally, in June 1950, the Supreme Court made a big decision. They said that Black students in Texas were not getting an equal law education. Because of this, the University of Texas had to admit qualified Black applicants.
On September 19, 1950, Heman Sweatt registered for classes at the UT law school. The long and stressful court cases had taken a toll on his health.
Later Life and Legacy
Because of his health issues and the stress, Heman Sweatt struggled in law school. He decided to leave in 1952. He then received a scholarship to Atlanta University to study Social Work. In 1954, he earned his master's degree.
He moved to Cleveland and worked for the NAACP and the National Urban League. He continued his work for civil rights for many years. He helped with voter registration and programs for Black people moving to the North.
Heman Marion Sweatt passed away on October 3, 1982. His bravery and determination left a lasting impact. The Travis County Courthouse, where his important court case happened, was renamed the "Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse" in 2005. A college scholarship has also been created in his name.
