Melvyn R. Leventhal facts for kids

Melvyn Rosenman Leventhal, born on March 18, 1943, is an American lawyer. He is well-known for his important work during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s and 1970s. He helped people fight for equal rights.

From 1969 to 1974, he was the main lawyer in Mississippi for the Legal Defense Fund. This group was the legal part of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Later, he continued to work for the Legal Defense Fund in New York.

Melvyn Leventhal married the famous writer Alice Walker in New York City in 1967. When they moved back to Mississippi, they were the first legally married interracial couple in the state. They had a daughter named Rebecca.

Early Life and Education

Melvyn Leventhal grew up in Brooklyn, New York City. He went to a yeshiva elementary school and then Brooklyn Technical High School. When he was nine, his parents divorced. He and his younger siblings stayed with their mother.

Leventhal felt strongly about helping others. He was very upset by how people treated Jackie Robinson. Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play in major league baseball. This made Leventhal want to fight against unfairness.

He decided to become a lawyer to help people. He earned his first degree from New York University's Washington Square College in 1964. Then, he went to New York University School of Law and became a lawyer in 1967.

Working for Civil Rights and Marriage

As a young lawyer, Melvyn Leventhal worked in Mississippi for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF). He helped create the first law firm in Mississippi with both Black and white lawyers. His partners were Reuben V. Anderson, Fred L. Banks Jr., and John A. Nichols. Reuben Anderson and Fred Banks later became the first two African-American judges on the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Through his work, Leventhal met the writer Alice Walker. She trusted him because he was brave enough to stand up against unfairness. On March 17, 1967, Melvyn Leventhal and Alice Walker got married in New York. At that time, it was against the law for people of different races to marry in Alice Walker's home state of Georgia.

When they returned to Mississippi in July 1967, they were the first legally married interracial couple there. Melvyn and Alice had one child, Rebecca Walker. They later divorced in 1976.

Important Legal Work

While in law school, Leventhal volunteered at the LDF offices in Jackson, Mississippi. He worked with activist Marian Wright Edelman. He also helped Martin Luther King Jr. during the Meredith March Against Fear in 1966.

From 1969 to 1974, Leventhal was the lead lawyer for the LDF in Mississippi. He worked on about 75 lawsuits across the state. These lawsuits challenged unfair treatment and separation (segregation) in many areas. This included public schools, jobs, public places, housing, and city services. He helped make sure that new federal civil rights laws were followed.

Leventhal moved back to New York in 1974. He continued to work for the LDF, handling cases in Mississippi and other states. During his ten years at the LDF, he worked on three very important cases:

• Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education (1969): The Supreme Court of the United States ordered schools to end segregation "at once." This meant schools had to integrate right away.
• Norwood v. Harrison (1973): The Supreme Court said that states could not give textbooks to private schools that separated students by race.
• Hawkins v. Town of Shaw (1971): This case helped people sue cities for unfair treatment in public services. For example, it helped ensure everyone got equal street paving or fire protection.

In 1970, Leventhal also spoke to the U.S. Senate. He talked about how schools were working to end segregation in Mississippi.

Later Public Service Career

Between 1979 and 1984, Melvyn Leventhal held important roles for the State of New York. He was the Assistant Attorney General in charge of protecting people from fraud. Later, he became the Deputy First Assistant Attorney General.

He has argued two cases in front of the Supreme Court of the United States. These were Norwood v. Harrison in 1972 and Blum v. Stenson in 1983.