Lewis F. Powell Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lewis F. Powell Jr.
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
In office January 7, 1972 – June 26, 1987
Nominated by	Richard Nixon
Preceded by	Hugo Black
Succeeded by	Anthony Kennedy
Chairman of Virginia State Board of Education
In office 1968–1969
88th President of American Bar Association
In office 1964–1965
Preceded by	Walter Early Craig
Succeeded by	Edward W. Kuhn
Chairman of Richmond School Board
In office 1952–1961
Personal details
Born	Lewis Franklin Powell Jr. (1907-09-19)September 19, 1907 Suffolk, Virginia, U.S.
Died	August 25, 1998(1998-08-25) (aged 90) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Resting place	Hollywood Cemetery
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Josephine Pierce Rucker ​ ​ (m. 1936; died 1996)​
Children	4
Education	Washington and Lee University (BS, LLB) Harvard University (LLM)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1942–1945
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Bronze Star Legion of Merit Croix de Guerre

Lewis Franklin Powell Jr. (born September 19, 1907 – died August 25, 1998) was an American lawyer and judge. He served as a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1972 to 1987.

Powell was born in Suffolk, Virginia. He studied law at both Washington and Lee Law School and Harvard Law School. During World War II, he served in the United States Army Air Forces. After the war, he worked for a large law firm in Richmond, Virginia, focusing on business law.

In 1971, President Richard Nixon chose Powell to become a Supreme Court Justice. He retired from the Court in 1987. During his time on the Court, Powell was often a "swing vote," meaning his decision could determine the outcome of close cases. He wrote important opinions on topics like free speech and education.

Early Life and Education

Lewis Powell was born in Suffolk, Virginia. His parents were Mary Lewis (Gwathmey) and Louis Franklin Powell. He attended Washington and Lee University. There, he was very active, becoming president of his fraternity and working on the student newspaper.

Powell always wanted to be a lawyer. He believed lawyers helped shape history. He graduated in 1929 with high honors. He then went to Washington and Lee University School of Law, finishing first in his class in 1931. He also earned a special law degree from Harvard Law School in 1932.

In 1936, he married Josephine Pierce Rucker. They had four children together. Josephine passed away in 1996.

Military Service in World War II

During World War II, Powell wanted to join the United States Navy. However, he was not accepted because of his eyesight. Instead, he joined the US Army Air Forces as an intelligence officer.

He became a first lieutenant in 1942. He then trained in Florida and Pennsylvania. He was sent to England and served in North Africa. He also served in Sicily during the Allied invasion of Sicily.

Later, Powell worked for the Army Air Forces in Washington, D.C.. He also worked with the Ultra project. This project involved monitoring secret enemy communications. His job was to make sure this information was used correctly. He also ensured that the enemy would not find out their codes were broken.

Powell rose to the rank of colonel. He received several awards for his service. These included the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, and the French Croix de Guerre. He left the military in October 1945.

Legal Career and Public Service

After the war, Powell became a partner at a large law firm in Richmond, Virginia. He worked mostly on business law cases.

From 1964 to 1965, he was the President of the American Bar Association (ABA). The ABA is a group for lawyers. Powell worked to help provide legal services to people who could not afford them. He also helped develop Colonial Williamsburg.

Powell also played a big part in his local community. From 1951 to 1961, he served on the Richmond School Board. He was the Chairman for most of that time. This was when schools in Virginia were dealing with Supreme Court decisions to end segregation. Powell worked to build good relationships with many African-American leaders.

From 1961 to 1969, he served on the Virginia Board of Education. He was the Chairman from 1968 to 1969.

The Powell Memorandum

In 1971, before joining the Supreme Court, Powell wrote a secret report. It was called "Attack on the American Free Enterprise System." He wrote it for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a business group.

The report was a plan for businesses to become more active. Powell believed that businesses needed to do more to shape public opinion. He thought that groups like the consumer movement, led by Ralph Nader, were hurting businesses.

The memo suggested that businesses should fund think tanks. These are groups that do research and promote ideas. It also suggested that businesses should influence media and education.

This report became a guide for the rise of the American conservative movement. It led to the creation of many influential groups. Examples include The Heritage Foundation and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). These groups work to promote business-friendly policies.

The memo was meant to be secret. However, a journalist named Jack Anderson found it. He wrote about it in the Washington Post a year later.

Serving on the Supreme Court

President Nixon asked Powell to join the Supreme Court twice. Powell first said no in 1969. But in 1971, Nixon convinced him it was his duty. Powell was worried about leaving his law firm and his income. He also worried he wouldn't know enough about the types of cases the Court heard.

Nixon nominated Powell and William Rehnquist on the same day, October 21, 1971. The Senate approved Powell by a vote of 89 to 1. He officially became a justice on January 7, 1972.

Justice Powell served on the Supreme Court until June 26, 1987. He was nearly 80 years old when he retired.

One of his most famous opinions was in the case of Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978). This case was about affirmative action, which are policies that aim to help groups that have faced discrimination. Powell's opinion tried to find a middle ground. He said that while some affirmative action programs might be allowed, they needed to be carefully reviewed.

Powell also wrote the main opinion in First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti (1978). This case said that companies have a right to spend money on political campaigns. This was seen as a big change in how free speech laws applied to businesses.

In another important case, Plyler v. Doe, Powell joined the majority. The Court decided that a Texas law was unconstitutional. This law tried to stop undocumented immigrant children from attending public schools.

After he retired, Powell said he regretted his vote in McCleskey v. Kemp (1987). In that case, he voted to uphold the death penalty. Later, he said he would have preferred to end the death penalty completely.

Retirement and Later Life

After retiring from the Supreme Court, Powell continued to work. He often served as a judge on various United States Courts of Appeals around the country.

In 1990, he swore in Douglas Wilder as governor of Virginia. Wilder was the first African-American governor elected in the United States.

Lewis Powell passed away at his home in Richmond, Virginia, on August 25, 1998. He was 90 years old. He is buried in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery.

Legacy and Honors

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote about Powell in her 2002 book. She said he was a model of kindness, decency, and integrity.

Powell's personal papers are kept at his old school, Washington and Lee University School of Law. A part of the law school building is named after him.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed a law. This law renamed the Federal courthouse in Richmond, Virginia, in Powell's honor. It is now called the Lewis F. Powell Jr. United States Courthouse.

See also