John Payton facts for kids

John A. Payton (born December 27, 1946 – died March 22, 2012) was an important African-American civil rights lawyer. He worked hard to make sure everyone had fair and equal rights. In 2008, he became the leader of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, a group that fights for civil rights through the law. He held this important job until he passed away. Before that, he was a partner at a big law firm called WilmerHale for 20 years.

John Payton was chosen to be the main lawyer for the University of Michigan. He helped defend how their law and undergraduate schools considered race when deciding who to admit. For over six years, he worked on these big cases, even arguing one, Gratz v. Bollinger, in front of the highest court in the country, the Supreme Court of the United States.

Early Life and Education

John Payton grew up in Los Angeles, California. After high school, he went to Pomona College in Claremont. There, he became very involved in fighting for civil rights and protesting against war. He even helped start the Black Student Association at Pomona.

For three years, John Payton worked as an admissions officer at the Claremont Colleges. He helped create this job to encourage more black students to apply. He graduated from college in 1973. After college, he received a special fellowship that allowed him to study literature in West Africa for a year. While he was there, he applied to law school.

He was accepted into Harvard Law School. During his time there, he worked on several civil rights cases. He was also part of the team that edited the Harvard Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law Review. He finished law school in 1977.

Starting His Law Career

After law school, John Payton worked for a judge named Cecil F. Poole for a year. Then, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he joined the law firm Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (now called WilmerHale).

At this firm, Payton worked on several important civil rights cases. He successfully defended the NAACP. This was against a lawsuit from white business owners in Mississippi. They had lost business after a 1966 desegregation boycott.

In another case, City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co., Payton defended the city of Richmond. The city had a plan to help minority-owned businesses get construction contracts. He argued this case at the Supreme Court of the United States. However, the Court decided against the city. This ruling meant that all government programs that considered race, even those meant to help, would be looked at very closely.

Working for Washington, D.C. and in South Africa

In 1991, when Sharon Pratt Dixon became the mayor of Washington, D.C., John Payton was asked to become the city's top lawyer, called the corporation counsel. In this role, he made the city's legal offices more organized. Early on, he helped deal with problems after the Mount Pleasant riots. He worked to improve relationships between Latino communities and the police. He also helped the city manage its money during a big financial challenge.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton wanted John Payton to lead the Civil Rights Division for the U.S. government. But after some discussions, Payton decided not to take the job.

In 1994, Payton left his job in D.C. to join his wife, Gay McDougall, in South Africa. She was working there as part of a group that ran South Africa's first democratic elections. These elections were very important because Nelson Mandela was elected president. At the same time, Payton was part of an international team of observers. This team included lawyers from the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The couple stayed in South Africa for several months before returning to D.C.

Back to Private Law and Michigan Cases

When John Payton returned to his law firm, he worked on cases for companies. He also represented the American Legacy Foundation, which works to stop young people from smoking. He also worked for Fannie Mae in a big class action lawsuit.

While still at the firm, Payton was again chosen to be the lead lawyer for the University of Michigan. He defended how their law and undergraduate schools used race in their admissions. For more than six years, he handled these two important cases. He argued Gratz v. Bollinger in front of the Supreme Court. He also brought together many groups, including universities, the military, and top businesses, to support the idea of diversity. In a close decision in Grutter v. Bollinger, the Supreme Court said that using race in college admissions was allowed.

John Payton was the president of the District of Columbia Bar (a group for lawyers) for one year in 2001. He also taught as a visiting professor at Harvard Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, and Howard University School of Law. Many people recognized him as one of the best lawyers in the country.

Leading the NAACP Legal Defense Fund

In 2008, John Payton was chosen to be the sixth director-counsel and president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. This was a very important role, following in the footsteps of famous civil rights leaders like Thurgood Marshall and Jack Greenberg. He continued to fight for justice and equality until his death in 2012.