Virgil D. Hawkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Virgil Darnell Hawkins
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| Born | November 28, 1906 |
| Died | February 11, 1988 |
| Education | New England Law Boston |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Spouse(s) | Ida B. Hawkins |
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Virgil Darnell Hawkins (November 28, 1906 – February 11, 1988) was an African-American teacher and lawyer from Florida. He spent many years fighting to become a lawyer in Florida. This was after he was first stopped from joining the University of Florida School of Law because of his race. His fight helped open doors for other African Americans.
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Early Life and Education
Virgil Hawkins was born in Lake County, Florida. He was one of eight children. His family lived on a farm near Okahumpka, Florida. The farm helped them support themselves. His parents also worked other jobs to earn more money. His father ran a store and picked oranges. His mother cleaned and ironed clothes.
Virgil's parents believed education was very important for their children. In 1917, their community helped raise money to build a school for African American children. This school, called the Okahumpka Rosenwald School, was near their home. It allowed Virgil and his siblings to get an elementary education.
Why Virgil Wanted to Be a Lawyer
Growing up in Florida during the time of Jim Crow laws was hard. These laws kept Black and white people separate and treated Black people unfairly. Virgil saw many unfair things happen. For example, he saw African American men unfairly sent to prison over a small game. These men did not understand what was happening in court.
Seeing these problems made Virgil want to become a lawyer. He wanted to help people who were treated unfairly. He later said, "At that tender age, I didn't know what a lawyer did, but I knew I had to do something."
Continuing His Studies
As a teenager, Virgil went to Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida. His hometown did not have public schools past tenth grade. So, he traveled 200 miles to continue his education. In 1930, he started at Lincoln University (Pennsylvania). However, he had to leave because he did not have enough money.
Later, at age 37, Hawkins graduated from Bethune–Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida. He later worked there as the director of public relations.
Becoming a Teacher
Virgil returned to Florida and married Ida Frazier, who was a schoolteacher. He then started teaching at Edgewood, a school for Black children in Groveland, Florida. He later became the principal of Yalaha Elementary School.
He saw that schools for Black children often had fewer resources. They had lower wages for teachers, worse buildings, and fewer supplies. These unfair conditions made him think again about his dream of becoming a lawyer. He wanted to fight against the everyday unfairness faced by African Americans.
Some people suggested he go to a law school for Black students, like Howard University School of Law. But Virgil wanted to stay in Florida. He said, "I didn't want Howard. I wanted Florida. My grandaddy felled trees here and my daddy paid taxes here."
Fighting for Equal Education
In 1949, a lawyer named Horace Hill from the NAACP wanted to challenge unfair education rules in Florida. At that time, Florida would only give scholarships to Black students to go to schools outside the state. This was against a court ruling that said states must either provide separate schools for Black students or let them attend schools with white students. Hill found Virgil Hawkins to help challenge these rules.
Applying to the University of Florida
Hawkins applied to the University of Florida Law School. He was denied admission because he was Black. He went to court, but the Florida Supreme Court said no. They said a "separate but equal" law school was being built at Florida A&M University for Black students.
In 1956, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that Hawkins should be allowed into the University of Florida Law School. However, Florida Governor LeRoy Collins said he would fight the order. The Florida Supreme Court still refused to admit Hawkins. They worried about "great public mischief" if Black students went to white state schools. This meant they feared white parents would pull their children out of schools.
A Big Sacrifice
In 1958, Hawkins made a big decision. He withdrew his application to the University of Florida College of Law. In return, the Florida Supreme Court ordered that the University of Florida's graduate and professional schools must allow Black students.
Hawkins then went to law school in Boston. But he was not allowed to take the Florida Bar exam because his law school was not approved in Florida. Even though he faced these challenges, his sacrifice opened the way for other African Americans. In 1962, W. George Allen became the first African American to graduate from the University of Florida College of Law.
Finally, in 1976, the Florida Supreme Court ordered that Hawkins be allowed to join The Florida Bar without taking the exam. This was to make up for the unfairness he had faced.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1977, at the age of 69, Virgil Hawkins opened his own law office in Leesburg, Florida. The Florida Supreme Court later noted that he "seldom turned away an indigent client in need." This means he often helped clients who could not afford to pay.
Because of his advanced age and the long time since he went to law school, practicing law was difficult for him. He faced some challenges with his law practice. In 1985, he decided to step away from practicing law. He passed away on February 11, 1988.
After his death, many lawyers asked the Florida Supreme Court to officially bring Hawkins back into The Florida Bar. The court agreed in October 1988. This was a way to honor his long fight for justice.
In Popular Culture
- In 1993, comic book artist Dwayne McDuffie named a character "Virgil Hawkins" in the Milestone Comics (now DC Comics) series. This character is known as Static.
- Author Gilbert King (author) wrote about Virgil Hawkins in his book "Beneath a Ruthless Sun."
