Henry Schwarzschild facts for kids

Henry Schwarzschild (born November 2, 1925 – died June 1, 1996) was an important activist who worked for civil rights and human rights. He joined the Civil Rights Movement and fought against the death penalty. He started groups like the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP) and the Lawyer's Constitutional Defense Committee. He also led the American Civil Liberties Union's project focused on the death penalty.

Early Life and Education

Henry Schwarzschild was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. When he was 13, in 1939, he moved to New York City with his parents, just before World War II began. During the war, he served in the army from 1944 to 1946.

After the war, he went to the City College of New York and earned a bachelor's degree. He then studied political theory at Columbia University. In the 1950s, he worked for several organizations, including the International Rescue Committee and the Anti-Defamation League.

He married Kathleen Jett, and they had two daughters, Miriam and Hannah.

Fighting for Civil Rights

In 1960, Henry Schwarzschild was in Lexington, Kentucky. He heard about a sit-in protest at a lunch counter at Berea College. He decided to join, becoming the only white person involved. This was the start of his work for civil rights.

Soon after, he was arrested on June 21, 1961, in Jackson, Mississippi, for taking part in the Freedom Rides. After he was released, Martin Luther King Jr. praised his courage. From then on, Schwarzschild and King often attended events together, working to advance civil rights.

In 1961, Schwarzschild traveled across America, giving speeches to encourage people to join the civil rights cause. He spoke out on many topics, including civil liberties, racial justice, and the death penalty.

In 1964, he created the Lawyers Constitutional Defense Committee. This group brought together civil rights lawyers. In its first year, he convinced 300 lawyers to use their vacation time to go to the South and help with the fight for black civil rights.

Working Against the Death Penalty

In 1972, Henry Schwarzschild was chosen to lead the ACLU's Capital Punishment Project. From 1972 to 1990, he worked hard to pass laws that would oppose the death penalty. For the first five years, he ran the project by himself. Later, it received more funding and volunteers.

In 1976, while still with the Capital Punishment Project, he helped create the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP). This happened after the Supreme Court allowed executions to start again in the United States. Schwarzschild started the NCADP in New York and later moved its main office to Washington, D.C.. This move helped him work more closely with lawmakers.

The NCADP includes many state and national groups, including religious organizations. They create public campaigns and help activists who are working to make changes in different states.

Schwarzschild believed that people who committed crimes still deserved to suffer for their actions, but not by death. He fought against the death penalty throughout his life.

Views on Israel

Following the conflict in Beirut during the 1982 Lebanon War, Henry Schwarzschild expressed strong concerns about Israel's actions. He felt that the way the Palestinian people were treated by Israel did not align with Jewish traditions and values. He believed that the idea of a Jewish state should uphold human and moral values.

In 1988, Schwarzschild spoke before the Congressional Black Caucus. He stated that he and many other American Jews were deeply troubled by Israel's treatment of the Palestinian people. He mentioned concerns about denying them national identity, taking their lands, and suppressing their institutions.

Other Activities and Death

Henry Schwarzschild once said that he "could not live in a period of major moral, social events and be a bystander." After retiring from the ACLU in 1990, he continued to work on Middle Eastern issues. He also remained the head of the New York office of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

He was against the death penalty his entire life. Shortly before he died, he spoke out against the use of lethal injection in executions.

Henry Schwarzschild passed away from cancer on June 1, 1996, at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York. He was 70 years old.

Legacy

In 2000, Berea College added a special collection called the "Lincoln Center of Henry Schwarzschild." This collection includes his printed works and other materials, donated by his wife, Kathleen, who was a student at Berea.

The annual Henry Schwarzschild Memorial Lecture began in 1999. It is sponsored by the NYCLU and the Hogarth Center for Social Action at Manhattan College. These lectures focus on important topics related to "human rights and human dignity."