THE CHARLES HOUSTON CHBA’s Future BAR ASSOCIATION Law Club Founders NEWSLETTER 2005 Golden Anniversary Issue Early Black Lawyers www.charleshoustonbar.org Judicial Luncheon

Association News 1955 LAW CLUB Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Contents

Left to right: John D. Drake, Esq., Hon. Benjamin Travis, George R. Vaughns, Esq., Hon. John Wesley Bussey and Justice Allen Broussard.

Feature Articles

CHBA at age 50 Page 2 by Robert L. Harris Applauding the Past, Predicting the Future

Before the Law Club Page 12 by Charles A. Smiley Some Early Black Lawyers in Northern

Introducing the Founders Page 18 by Charles A. Smiley The 1955 Law Club Members

African-Americans and the Law Page 30 by Charles A. Smiley Early California Laws

CHBA Departments

Sage Scholars Page 9 UC Berkeley prepares the next leaders

Golden Anniversary Judicial Luncheon Page 10 CHBA honors outstanding jurists

California Association of Black Lawyers Page 15 Demetrius Shelton installed as President

Photo Gallery Page 16 Members past and present

Spotlight Page 31 Estella Dooley, 1963 Law Club Secretary

Association News Page 32 What we’ve been up to Page 1

Are you up to the Challenge?

Jennifer S. Madden Greetings and welcome to the Charles Houston Bar Association. CHBA President We have much to celebrate! I look forward to seeing all of you at our various events this year which will commemorate 50 years of excellence! Fifty years ago this year, a group of lawyers founded the Charles Houston Law Club in Oakland. Today, we are a growing organization of prominent judges, civil rights advocates, law firm leaders and eager young law students. The one thing that binds us is our association with an organization that stands for community activism, civic leadership and, most importantly, the preservation of justice in the African American community on all levels.

As I look forward to celebrating this special anniversary with the membership and community at large, I cannot help but think about how far we have come in the past five decades —— and how far we have to go. Our work, even if it is at the local level, has an effect on our community statewide and nationally. Whether it involves participa- tion in a clothing drive, a political campaign, or mentoring law students, our impact will be felt.

Charles Hamilton Houston was a man who was not afraid to stand alone and fight for what he believed was right and just. He didn’t shy away from controversy or hard work. These are all attributes that we should embody and seek to duplicate on a daily basis. Fighting the hard fight is never an easy achievement, however, as a people, we cannot be afraid to do the necessary work. Volunteer to be a mentor, give generously to the annual Scholarship Fund and participate actively and fully in our organization.

Are you up to the challenge?

Jennifer S. Madden Feature Page 2

spent dialoging about the role of black the 48th annual convention of the Na- lawyers as advocates. Berkley believed tional Bar Association (NBA). Held at firmly that the Black lawyer has a moral the newly opened Hyatt Regency in obligation to advocate in behalf of the Embarcadero Center in San Fran- Black people. While the founders of cisco, this NBA convention was the the Charles Houston Law Club shared impetus for shifting the 18 year old Berkley’s passion for advocacy, it was Law Club, which had only twenty (20) Berkley, through his newspaper (the dues paying members, from a prima- Post) and his political skills, who con- rily socially oriented club into a fear- stantly challenged the young lawyers less bar association willing to confront of the 1970s and 1980s to disrupt the head-on issues that were eroding the CHBA at 50 status quo and fight for justice. foundation of the Black Community, Applauding the Past, sinking it further into a sea of injus- Predicting the Future Much can and should be said about the tice. by Robert L. Harris brave pioneers who, in May of 1955, some seven months before Rosa Parks Elected President of the Law Club in refused to take a seat in the back of a 1973, Benjamin Travis, the legend- Twenty five years ago, as Presi- segregated bus in Montgomery, Ala- ary and visionary leader who saw ab- dent of the National Bar Asso- bama, came together to form an as- solutely no limits on Black lawyers’ ciation, I published an article sociation which they named the duty to be advocates, set out to com- in the Sacramento Observer Charles Houston Law Club (Law Club). pletely reengineer the Law Club into entitled, “The Role of Black In so doing, they laid a solid founda- a bar association of action and vis- Lawyers.” In explaining the tion for today’s Charles Houston Bar ibility. Noting the historic importance role of black Lawyers in the Association (Association). of Charles Hamilton Houston, after 1980s, the article referenced a whom the Law Club was named, conversation I had with one of For over a decade and a half, our Travis brought life to Houston’s fa- the founders of the Charles founders blazed a path for the “new” mous quote: “A lawyer is either a Houston Law Club (now the Black lawyers in the Bay Area who social engineer or a parasite on soci- Charles Houston Bar Associa- would follow them. They hoped these ety.” Engineers, not parasites, were tion). I noted in said article “new” lawyers would set an aggres- Travis’ vision of Black lawyers. Pas- that: “Recently, I received a sive agenda for meeting the challenges sionate in his beliefs, he expected telephone call from Attorney of the 70s and 80s. As they hoped, an lawyers to share that passion. Travis Thomas L. Berkley, editor, and awakening was, indeed, slowly occur- assembled an officer team of John publisher of the Post newspa- ring among the ranks of the “new” law- Stewart (Vice President), Joseph pers in Northern California; he yers as the number of Black lawyers Simmons (Treasurer) and me (Sec- voiced his concern about the admitted to the California bar contin- retary) to begin mapping a strategy current failure of the black bar ued to increase, thanks primarily to for membership growth and strate- to direct the legal strategy for affirmative action programs which were gic actions specifically designed to the black community.” Berkley beginning to open the segregated propel Black lawyers into their right- was not complaining necessar- doors of many law schools. Consis- ful place. The team was expected to ily about the Charles Houston tent with the civil rights revolution of rapidly transform the Law Club. Law Club, but rather about the 60s and 70s, breaking down the Black lawyers in general na- walls of injustice was considered the One year out of law school, I was tionally. duty of these mostly young lawyers thrilled beyond comprehension to be who were reaping the benefits of the elected a member of this outstand- Now deceased, Berkley who at- hard work of their predecessors and ing team of seasoned lawyers whose tended Boalt Hall and gradu- ancestors. This awakening provided task was to revamp the Law Club. ated from Hastings Law School the catalyst for transforming the Law Travis viewed increasing membership in 1942 was not only a pioneer Club into a powerful vehicle capable and tackling “hot” issues as the key lawyer in the Bay Area, but also of navigating the turbulent winds of the drivers for igniting the Law Club into a brilliant soldier in the fight 70s and 80s as a respected bar asso- an advocacy group. Immediately for justice. I cherished the ciation unafraid to stand up and fight doubling the membership, which the many lunches and conversa- injustices. Association easily accomplished (50 tions we had over a period of members) by the end of 1973, would more than 25 years. A consid- The transformation actually began in illustrate, we believed, that Black law- erable amount of our time was 1973 shortly after the Law Club hosted yers were ready, willing and able to

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 Page 3 Feature

be advocates. Communicating the of the faces of California’s judiciary. County! Ultimately, the County re- new strategy not only to lawyers, Black lawyers throughout the state linquished, changed it rules and but also to the community required (both North and South) collectively made the process fair for Black law- the Law Club to speak out on con- put tremendous pressure on Gover- yer participation. A new day had troversial issues via the media. Ac- nor Brown to appoint Blacks to the begun! cordingly, the Law Club looked for Bench. Brown, unable to escape key opportunities to take on key these demands, ultimately appointed Not long thereafter, other major op- issues of controversy including over 100 Black lawyers to the bench, portunities for advocacy presented police brutality and other contem- a record that remains unmatched, themselves. Perhaps, the most porary issues of the day. A num- proving the words of Frederick challenging was when the Oakland ber of new lawyers became mem- Douglass to be true that: “Power con- and Branches of the bers of the Law Club and joined in cedes nothing without a demand.” National Association for the Ad- the transformation. They included, vancement of Colored People George Holland Thomas Broome, Having successfully led the transfor- (NAACP) were sued by both the San Ruth Blackwell, Gordon Baranco, mation for three years, Travis in 1976 Francisco and Oakland Police Of- Annette Green, Dale Rubin, relinquished the reigns of the Asso- ficers Associations for defamation Geoffrey Carter and many others. ciation (and I took over as president) merely because the NAACP com- More mature lawyers such as Don to accept an appointment to the plained about police brutality in the McCullum, Hiathawa T. Roberts, bench. The Travis momentum, how- Black community. The Association Carl Metoyer, Clinton W. White, ever, continued; and by the end of saw this as an attack not just on Horace Wheatley, Henry Ramsey, 1976, the Association which had the NAACP, but also a test of to name a few, were all a part of achieved its status as an officially rec- whether Black lawyers would sit the transformation. As the Law ognized bar association by the state idly by and allow the NAACP to be Club became more visible and vo- bar in 1975, was ready to exert its assaulted. The answer was firm cal, the membership ranks began power as a respected Association and unprecedented! to escalate and by the end of 1976, unafraid to challenge injustice wher- the Association had as dues pay- ever it raised its ugly head. That op- A cadre of Black lawyers immedi- ing members almost every identi- portunity quickly presented itself ately took on the defense of the fied Black lawyer in the Bay Area. when Alameda County in cooperation NAACP, winning both in the Supe- This was unbelievable, but a pow- with the Alameda County Bar Asso- rior Courts (Alameda and San Fran- erful tribute to the effectiveness of ciation decided to unfairly administer cisco) and in the California Courts the Law Club’s strategy of bold ad- the County’s indigent criminal defense of Appeal. The courts, to the dis- vocacy! program by devising irrational senior- may of the Police Officers Associa- ity rules that essentially excluded al- tions, agreed with the NAACP law- An early and essential part of the most all black lawyers from represent- yers that the First Amendment pro- Law Club’s strategy was changing ing indigent defendants regardless of tected the NAACP’s right to vigor- the face of the judiciary in the Bay the competency of the lawyer. ously and freely complain about po- Area and throughout California. lice brutality. The purpose of the With fewer than five (5) Black The Association, to the surprise of the police suits was to intimidate the judges in Northern California, the County and the Alameda County Bar NAACP into silence. They incor- opportunity to change the face of Association, immediately sought an rectly thought the NAACP would not the judiciary presented itself in injunction in the Alameda County be able to afford the cost of de- 1974 when ran for Superior Court challenging the con- fending these suits and would, Governor. Many members of the stitutionality of the rules. Henry therefore, cease to complain about Association actively participated in Ramsey (at that time a law professor police brutality. But, thanks to this raising money for his candidacy at Boalt Hall), Hiawatha Roberts and dedicated cadre of Black lawyers, with a promise from him that he I represented the Association at the today the NAACP continues to would appoint Blacks to the bench. Superior Court hearing on the injunc- speak freely without fear of having And, when Brown won, the Law tion. We were joined by NBA Presi- to defend frivolous lawsuits de- Club immediately held him ac- dent Carl Character of Cleveland, Ohio signed to silence it. The cases set countable for his campaign prom- who flew in for the occasion. To be a precedent and were used by the ises. As a result of the Law Club’s sure, it was a “colorful” day in the NAACP’s national office as a model persistence, within a few months, Superior Court which was overflow- for defending against similar suits seven (7) members of the Law Club ing with Black lawyers giving visible that had been brought by police of- were appointed to the bench. This support to the Association as it chal- ficers associations across the na- marked the beginning of a change lenged the power structure of the tion to intimidate the NAACP. The

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Feature Page 4

Association was applauded nation- to the principles embedded in its ori- course for our Association. There- ally for its successful defense of the gins and early beginnings remained fore, the question for us as lawyers NAACP, and its lead attorney was steadfast. Its first fifty years should, of the 21st Century is what is it we awarded the NAACP’s highest na- indeed, be applauded! must do today, and tomorrow, to tional legal honor, the William Rob- continue the legacy of the Charles ert Ming Award. Today, as the Charles Houston Bar As- Houston Bar Association. Yes, we sociation begins its second fifty years, have been vigilant thus far and Many other challenges were under- it continues to advocate for affirma- should be applauded, but we can- taken by the Association including tive action and other noble causes. not rest on the accomplishments of challenges of the employment prac- It has joined, for example, with oth- our first fifty years. Those accom- tices of various governmental agen- ers in opposing certain nominees to plishments are now history, and we cies. Before the Association em- the federal judiciary whose views do must move forward anticipating the barked upon its journey into the not support the best interest of the challenges and opportunities of the world of advocacy, very few Black Black community. Young lawyers, future. Prognosticating what the lawyers were hired as prosecutors, such as Demetrius Shelton, Rozenia next fifty years may hold requires public defenders or in the City Cummings, Darryl Stallworth, Terry us to ask a series of questions, and Attorney’s Office. Part of the Wiley, Vernon Goins and our new the answers to these questions will Association’s strategy to remedy this president, Jennifer Madden, to name likely predict the Association’s 100th situation was to confront the next a few, are continuing the legacy of birthday celebration. So, let’s be- person seeking to be elected Dis- the Association. Yet, at age fifty, and gin our journey into this series of trict Attorney of Alameda County. with this new generation of talented questions some of which will make Lowell Jensen (now a U.S. District legal scholars at its helm, the time is some of us uncomfortable and may Court Judge) became the target ripe for the Association to contem- well antagonize others. because he was the candidate for plate and reflect on what should be District Attorney of Alameda County. its legacy during the next Fifty years. Our journey begins by asking, has Jensen, however, proved to be an A glorious history, yes; but the chal- our Association really achieved its astute politician who readily agreed lenges of the 21st Century will likely goals? Are its members entitled to to work with the Association to en- present some of the issues of the 20th a rest break? Or, in other words, sure that Blacks were hired into the Century as well as new and perhaps have we achieved equal justice District Attorney’s Office which more challenging ones. Yet, the so- under law, and we can now take a paved the way for a radical change lutions of yesterday, no matter how nap or does the war for equal jus- in the hiring practices of that office. effective then, may not be appropri- tice under law continue to ferment And, shortly thereafter the public ate to address the problems of the even after fifty years of fierce fight- defender’s office followed suit. A 21st Century. Thus, we anticipate the ing? The answers to these ques- short time later, San Francisco’s Dis- future and look intently at our Asso- tions will, to a significant extent, trict Attorney and Public Defender ciation and ask whether we really determine the fate of the Associa- began hiring more Blacks. Today, want to be social engineers for an- tion in the 21st Century and for our those offices, as well as other gov- other fifty years? next fifty years. Fortunately, some ernmental legal staffs (including City of today’s lawyers never experi- Attorney Offices), thanks to the cou- Some of you are probably wondering enced the naked segregation and rageous work of the Association, are is this history relevant to our next fifty outrageous discrimination of the fully integrated. years. I submit that it is quite rel- 20th Century that was initially evant. Let me explain. Our future is grounded not only in the U.S. Con- As an established bar association, imbedded in our history. And history stitution, but also in the pernicious the Association’s footprint continued is the barometer by which we predict U. S. Supreme Court decision in to expand through the 80s, 90s and the future. Thus, by understanding Plessey v. Ferguson which was to this year, the celebration of its the activities of our first fifty years issued on the eve of the 20th Cen- fiftieth birthday. Past Presidents such we may glean there from whether the tury. Today, for the most part, some as George Holland, Tom Broome, next fifty years will likely chart a new of us enjoy privileges only dreamed John Burris, Judy Johnson (the first female President), Emma Pendergrass, Jim Cole, Gail Bereola “Would Charles Hamilton Houston and others carried the torch for al- be proud of us?” most two decades. Though the times changed, the Association’s resolve to maintain its commitment

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 Page 5 Feature

of by our ancestors and predeces- parasite on society.” Are we helping the same office only to ensure that sors. Yet, the lawyers of the 21st others be what they ought to be? Are no Black wins? Do we astutely de- Century, having reaped the benefits we focused primarily on our own in- fend their constitutional right to run of the legal struggles of the 20th dividual success? Do we care about or do we bluntly say quit being Century, must be prepared for our brothers and sisters who are at taken advantaged of by those who unique challenges and frustrations, the bottom of the well? Are we ad- do not have our best interest at as well as some unknown rude vocates for justice? Each of us must heart? Do we let our desire for awakenings, which at some point reflect on what we do to enhance the “fame” override the best interest of may, indeed, visit us at a moment lives of others and then respond to our community? Have we not when least expected. King and Houston accordingly. Did learned from history or are we bound to repeat it? Defining who we are, and who we should be as law- The late William Byron yers, will likely shape the Rumford desegregated North- Association’s legacy during ern California’s legislative del- the next fifty years. Today, egation in 1948 when he was many of us are enjoying elected as an Assemblyman opulence our ancestors from Berkeley. For a half cen- never imagined. We trod tury, we had a Black from halls that once could only Northern California in that del- be polished by our ances- egation, but we voluntarily tors and we smile con- gave up the seat. Today, pri- gratulating ourselves at our marily because of Black apa- marvelous achievements. thy, the Black community is And, some of us give absolutely no they not sacrifice their lives for us to taken for granted by politicians who credit to those who died making our be “prominent” lawyers? Does that view us as divided and impotent. prominence possible. We fervently matter to us? Oakland has had two outstanding attribute our “success” solely to in- Black mayors and San Francisco has dividual initiative believing foolishly Today, many are had one, all of whom were active we are no longer at the bottom of drowning in a sea of poverty and in- members of our Association. Ironi- the well and have achieved our justice with little, if any, hopes for a cally, many Blacks did not really ap- quest for social prominence. As a better tomorrow. They will never ex- preciate them until their successors result, we fail to recognize that re- perience the American dream or en- took office and closed the doors in gardless of our current temporary joy the fruits of democracy or free- our faces. Are we content with the status of prominence, we cannot dom. In the words of King, they are loss of political power in the Bay rise, no matter how hard we may “at the bottom despite the few who Area? try, above the condition of our have penetrated to slightly higher lev- brothers and sisters who have yet els.” Do we ignore them and say they While we are certainly proud of the to drink from the fountain of op- must pull themselves up by their fact Kamala Harris is the District At- portunity and opulence. “bootstraps?” Have we eradicated torney in San Francisco, it is sad discrimination and are now enjoying that many of us did not contribute Martin Luther King, Jr. had it right the fruits of equality or are we drunk one dime to her successful cam- when he stated: “We are prone to with our own delusions? Are we giv- paign. Yet we boast that we have a judge success by the index of our ing away our political power? Let’s Black District Attorney! Tragically, salaries or by the size of our auto- be frank, as a community, we are wit- far too few of us contribute finan- mobiles, rather than by the quality nessing a substantial decrease in po- cially to political campaigns in a of service and relationship to hu- litical and economic power. For ex- meaningful manner. Do we have a manity.” Continued King, “As long ample, both San Francisco and Oak- duty to help ensure a political struc- as there is poverty…I can never be land have experienced a tremendous ture for the black community? Do rich, even if I have a billion decline in Black political representa- we put our own self interest and dollars….I can never be what I tion. Does it matter today that we egos above the interest of the Black ought to be until you are what you have Blacks involved in the political community? Do we understand that ought to be” Powerful words, but process? Why should we care freedom ain’t free? words entirely consistent with whether Blacks are elected to politi- Houston’s philosophy that a law- cal office? Why do we often tolerate Our public education system is rap- yer is either “a social engineer or a several Black candidates running for idly declining. It is under funded,

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Feature Page 6

and often does not respond to the young, bright minds dooming educational needs of many of our them to a life of poverty and African American children, espe- forever placing them at the cially the young Black males. bottom of the well? Will our Should we be disturbed by the fact children and grandchildren be that, according to a 2004 study proud of what we did to se- (Public Education and Black Male cure the future of Black chil- Students) by the Schott Foundation dren? for Public Education, only 31% of Black males in the Oakland Public George Holland, a “veteran” Schools graduate from high school? and tireless warrior of our As- What does that say about the fu- sociation is the new President ture of our Black males? Little, if of the Oakland NAACP Branch. He with a California Governor to dis- any, external pressure for educa- carries on the tradition of other great cuss judicial appointments? tional excellence is directed at the lawyers who have headed the Oak- educational system by Black pro- land Branch such as the late Judge Bay Area law firms, with a few no- fessionals. Why is this so? Who is Donald P. McCullum and the late Jus- table exceptions, continue to be an going to speak to this issue? tice Clinton Wayne White. George, un- illusion for Black lawyers both as willing to leave the civil rights struggle associates and from a partnership Do we appear before school boards to others, has been practicing law for perspective. When the Association advocating for Black students who well over thirty years, is now desper- embarked upon its new thrust over have no voice or do we say let oth- ately searching for young, bright le- thirty years ago, there were very ers do it while we relax and enjoy gal minds to join with him in continu- few Blacks in major law firms. For our opulence? Are our own children ing the NAACP’s struggle to provide a brief moment, there was a climb in private schools, and are we, civil rights insurance to people of in the numbers, but today, when therefore, not concerned about the color. Will he get that help? Will he the available numbers of Black law- fate of Black children in the public get more volunteers than he can use? yers are compared to the numbers schools? Are we advocates against Will he have to stand with a small available twenty five years ago, it the voucher system whose success army fighting a battle that should be is arguable that little, if any, depends on the demise of the pub- fought by a huge army of young war- progress has actually been made. lic schools which most Black chil- riors? Does it matter to us that only a Are we demanding accountability? dren must attend? Do we contrib- small fraction of the NAACP member- Are we satisfied with the current ute to the United Negro College ship includes lawyers. Do lawyers situation? Fund which supports Black Col- know that Charles Hamilton Houston, leges? Does it bother us that Cali- who literally worked himself to death Do we dare challenge these pow- fornia spends far more money in- and died prematurely in 1950, laid the erful law firms on their hiring prac- carcerating Black youth than it does groundwork for Brown v. Board of tices? Are we afraid their litigation educating them? Are we concerned Education of Topeka, Kansas? Do skills are too great and, therefore, that of the 42,000 imprisoned un- we realize that but for Brown we we ignore their discriminatory hir- der California’s three strikes sys- would not be where we think we are ing practices? Yes, today we do, tem, 45% are Black? Do we dare today? indeed, have some Black partners speak out against this devastating in a few of our major law firms and tragedy that is enslaving many Have we forgotten that the First Ap- we have achieved minor integra- pellate District of the California Court tion of corporate law departments. of Appeal in San Francisco was de- Perhaps, one could even argue segregated in the 1980s with two that’s progress. But, the real ques- Black Justices, Justices Clinton White tion is should we be satisfied with and John Miller. Do we care that to- this meager “progress” if it can be day the court has no Black justices? called such? Should we be satis- Are we satisfied with this re-segre- fied with the crumbs that fall from gation? Are we sure that justice is, the table of plenty? Do we have indeed, color blind? Is an integrated the courage to force these power- judiciary important to the administra- ful law firms to open wide their tion of justice? Do we demand that doors to Black lawyers? Should we the Governor appoint more Blacks to challenge corporations that reap the bench? When have we last met huge profits from the unfortunate

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 Page 7 Directors

spending habits of African Ameri- cans while at the same time refus- ing to retain Black law firms to rep- resent them? Would Charles Hamilton Houston be proud of us?

These are questions that Charles Hamilton Houston would ask if he were a live today. He would not hesitate to challenge us as he did Thurgood Marshall and that cadre of lawyers he trained to break down is greatly indebted to its many selfless past directors. Volunteering their time and energy, these men and women have the legal walls of segregation in this created CHBA successes over the past 50 years . . . nation. Yes, we have made a lot of progress thanks to the work of the civil rights lawyers of yesterday, but Adrionne (Kittye) Beasley, Alfred Brown, Alonzo Johnson, Angela Houlemard, are we really satisfied with our own Annette Green, April Madison Ramsey, Artricia Moore, Aubry LaBrie, Audrey level of commitment and achieve- D. Shields, Bernadette Hartfield, Beryl Crumpton, Beverly J. Davis, Brendon ment now? Each of us must ask Woods, Brigitte Lowe, Past President Bruce A. Soublet, Charlene L. Usher, ourselves, based on our own com- Charles Smiley, Charlette Green, Chuck Andrews, Clifton Cooper Jr., Cole mitment to social justice, whether Powell, Colin Bowen, Craig Sterling, Dale Rubin, Past President Darryl we are “social engineers or para- Stallworth, Debrenia F. Madison, Past President Demetrius Shelton, Don M. sites on society.” Wade, Donald Ray Hopkins, Donelda Smith, Donna Zeigler, Donna P. Clay, Dorothy D. Guillory, Douglas Sykes, Ebony Azizi Sylla, Past President Emma To be sure, our answers, collectively H. Pendergrass, Emmet G. Hardy, Jr., Erica L. Markum, Estella Dooley, Eva and individually, will steer our J. Paterson, Evelyn Lewis, Past President Felix Stuckey, Frederick Smith, Association’s course for the next fifty Gary T. Lafayette, Commissioner Geoffrey N. Carter, Past President George years. - RLH Holland, Geraldine Chavis, Gillian G.M. Small, Greg Hodge, H. Jesse Arnelle, Past President Hon. Donald P. McCullum, Hon. Gloria Rhynes, Past Presi- dent Hon. Clinton W. White, Hon. Gordon Baranco, Hon. Carl Morris, Hon. C. Don Clay, Hon. Henry E. Needham, Jr., Past President Hon. Horace Wheatley, Hon. Joan S. Cartwright, Past President Hon. Gail B. Bereola, Past President Hon. James Stafford White, Past President Hon. Wiley W. Manuel, Hon. Brenda Harbin-Forte, Hon. Perker Meeks, Past President Hon. Benjamin Travis, Past President Hiawatha Roberts, J. Dominique Pinkney, Past President James O. Cole, Jayne Williams, Jaynelle Bell, Jean Hagins Alexander, President Jennifer Madden, John D. George, John Cooke, John Cooper, Past President John L. Burris, John Bell, John. J. Miller, Past Presi- dent Jonathan Mayes, Joseph Simmons, Joy E. Johnson, Joyce M. Hicks, Judge Akers, Past President Judy Johnson, Julia Blackwell, Kamili Williams, Kandis Westmore, Past President Kaye Washington, Kevin Reese, Kimberlei D. Evans, Kristen B. McCannon, Kwixuan Maloof, Lenora Taylor, Linda Pierce Evans, Linnea N. Willis, Lisa-Anne Wong, Past President Lloyd Johnson Jr., Marcheta Allen, Maribeth R. Harper, Mark Jackson, Mark McCannon, Mary M. Creer, Melissa K. Brown, Michael S. Lawson, Michele Dawson, Monica Wiley, Nedra A. Shawler, Otis McGee, Paris Coleman, Patricia Ecter, Patricia A. Bennett, Paul Garrison, Pauline C. Terrelonge, Phyllis Marshall, R. Manuel Fortes, Rhonda Burgess Johnson, Rhonda Andrew, Rhonda Hjort, Past Presi- dent Robert L. Boags, Robert Johnson, Robert Cross, Past President Robert L. Harris, Past President Rozenia Cummings, Ruth Herch, Shari Hollis-Ross, Sharron W. Gelobter, Shelly Wheeler, Sherry A. Walker, Simona Farrise, Tamiza Hockenhull, Tammi Lindsey, Past President Terri Robinson, Past Presi- dent Terry O. Wiley, Theodore Johnson, Past President Thomas J. Broome, Tiffany Gibson, Vangeria Harvey, Past President Vernon C. Goins, Vernon E. McGhee, Victoria Thomas McGhee, William Bell, William “Billy” Hunter, Yolanda Smith, William Taylor, Yolanda Jackson, and many, many others.

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Page 8

Jurists At Sea

COME SAIL WITH THE THE CHARLES HOUSTON BAR ASSOCIATION 3 DAY CRUISE TO ENSENADA, MEXICO September 30 - October 3, 2005

For more information contact Rozenia Cummings at 925-823-8611 or Demetrius Shelton 510-558-3388

The CHBA Newsletter is published by the Charles Houston Bar Association. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. The opinions express by contributors are not necessarily the opinions of the publisher or its supporters. Please contact CHBA to learn more about this publication. Visit us online at www.charleshoustonbar.org or call our hotline at (415) 289-7004.

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THE CHARLES HOUSTON Join the NAACP BAR ASSOCIATION proudly congratulates THE HONORABLE JUDGE “Get your civil rights insurance, join the NAACP,” states George HORACE WHEATLEY Holland, President of the Oakland Branch of the NAACP and a CHBA of the Alameda County Superior Court past president. upon his well-deserved induction into the Lawyers of the CHBA have always been in the forefront of fighting for NATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION civil rights, we need to continue this tradition. We need your HALL OF FAME assistance to protect the civil rights we have gained and to seek equality in all areas of our society. Judge Wheatley joins other distinguished inductees from These are difficult times for many persons in our community. We need your help so please pay your civil rights insurance premium by joining CHBA including: the NAACP. Thomas L. Berkeley, Esq. 1986 John Adams Jr., Esq. 1986 Those who are interested in becoming members of the Oakland Hon. Cecil F. Poole 1986 Branch of the NAACP should contact the Oakland Branch by phone at Hon. R.J. Reynolds, 1986 (510) 652-8493 to request a membership application. They may also Hon. Clinton W. White 1989 write to the NAACP Oakland Branch, 663 - 35th Street, Oakland, Hon. Richard Bancrott, 1998 California 94609. Hon. Willie L. Brown, Jr. 2002 Hon. George D. Carroll 2002 Respectfully, Hon. John Dearman, 2002 George Holland, Esq. Carl B. Metoyer, Esq. 2002 President, Oakland Branch of the NAACP Hiawatha Roberts, Esq. 2002 Hon. Benjamin Travis 2002

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 Page 9 Directors

SAGE SCHOLARS The 2005 CHBA Executive Board The University of California Student Achievement Guided by Experience (or “SAGE”) Scholars Program is an academically rigorous program that President combines workplace experience with professional skills. The SAGE Schol- JENNIFER MADDEN ars Program targets highly motivated students from low income and di- Alameda C’ty District Attorney verse backgrounds that have strong leadership potential and high aca- demic achievement at UC Berkeley. Its mission is to promote quality pro- Vice-President fessional leadership and career development through internships, mentoring, KIMBERLEI D. EVANS Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgard & Smith and education. Treasurer After completing an intensive application and interview process, all ac- LENORA TAYLOR cepted SAGE scholars attend professional development classes, sponsored Law Offices of Lenora Taylor by the Haas School of Business and taught by experts. In class, students Secretary set career goals, gain effective communication, business writing and pre- TAMIZA HOCKENHULL sentation skills, and learn leadership, ethics, business etiquette and team- San Francisco City Attorney work. The program works closely with various corporations that provide tuition sponsorship, mentors, and internships that mirror the students’ ca- General Counsel reer goals. SHARRON WILLIAMS GELOBTER Membership Chair These SAGE scholars are our future leaders. Many have already gone on SHARI HOLLIS-ROSS to do great things in education, business, research and politics. Postal Service

Due to education budget cut backs, the program is now totally dependant Community Action Chair KWIXUAN MALOOF upon corporate funding. We invite your support. Please consider sponsor- San Francisco Public Defender ing these extraordinary students and/or donating to their annual gradua- tion/fundraiser event. Judicial Chair MONICA F. WILEY For further information about the program, please visit the UC Berkeley’s San Francisco City Attorney SAGE Scholars website at sagescholars.berkeley.edu or by calling director Legal Services Chair Marjorie Weingrow at 510-642-2325 ([email protected]). MELISSA K. BROWN Bingham McCutchen LLP

Budget/Finance NEDRA SHAWLER County Counsel, Alameda County HE HARLES OUSTON Communications Chair T C H CHARLES A. SMILEY BAR ASSOCIATION Alameda C’ty Public Defender invites you to Young Lawyers Chair LINNEA WILLIS Law Offices of Linnea Willis Celebrate 50 Years of Excellence Social Chair at its special KRISTEN B. MCCANNON Fiftieth Anniversary Alameda C’ty Public Defender Gala Dinner Dance Immediate Past President and Installation of Officers VERNON C. GOINS II Taylor & Goins, LLP Saturday, December 3, 2005

The Oakland Airport Hilton Oakland, CA

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Page 10

Golden Anniversary Judicial Luncheon On Friday, March 18, 2005, at the duced Judge Hamilton at Lake Merritt Hotel in Oakland, the the luncheon. “For twenty- Charles Houston Bar Association one years, the Charles celebrated the Honorable Houston Bar Association Phyllis L. Hamilton, United has given me nothing but States District Court Judge of the support,” she concluded. Northern District of California, and the Honorable Phrasel Shelton Before his retirement, who retired last October after al- Judge Phrasel Shelton had most thirty years as the lone Afri- the distinction of being the can-American judge in San Mateo first and only African- County. American Judge in San Mateo County. He was first Judge Hamilton became the first appointed to the municipal court bench singled out by the judge’s remarks. African-American Commissioner in by Governor Jerry Brown and was el- “There are several vacancies on the Alameda County in 1985 and the evated to Superior Court by Governor [San Mateo County] bench and I first African-American Magistrate in 1988. expect the Charles Houston Bar As- Judge for the Northern District of sociation to see to it that the gov- California in 1991. Addressing the crowd, Judge Shelton, ernor puts an African-American on who now resides in Southern California, that bench. In fact, Ray [Swope] A native of Jacksonville, Ill., she said he wanted to be at the CHBA Judi- is extremely qualified for the job.” finished her undergraduate stud- cial Luncheon for two reasons. First, as This latter remark was met by en- ies at Stanford in only three years a CHBA member for 35 years, the bar couraging applause for Mr. Swope. and then attended Santa Clara Uni- association has been like family. He versity for law school. After gradu- thanked members and the organization After the awards program, guests ation, she worked as a state pub- for its enduring support of him. Sec- were entertained by an auction of lic defender and later as an Ad- ondly, he wanted to remind everyone items donated by executive board ministrative Judge. that his retirement leaves no African- members, 49ers football players, American judges in San Mateo County and the Bates House Bed & Break- Her first move towards the bench and that is not good. He clarified that fast of Oakland. Thanks to a few arrived with the assistance of “there is no [such thing as a] black po- bidding wars between the state Charles Houston Bar members. sition on the bench, so it’s not about bench (represented by Judge While accepting her award, the having a replacement.” Instead, he Horace Wheatley) and the federal Judge acknowledged support she stressed the inherent value of having bench (represented by Judge Mar- received from the Hon. Judith Ford, diversity on any county bench. tin Jenkins), and many other gen- the Hon. Horace Wheatley, and the erous guests, the auction raised late Hon. Jim White when she ap- Judge Shelton’s career began as an at- $2500 that will fund law student plied to become a commissioner torney with the Antitrust Division of the scholarships to be awarded at this in Alameda County. Six years later, United States Department of Justice. He year’s 50th Anniversary Gala Din- when she was appointed federal next worked as a public defender in ner and Installation of Officers in magistrate, it was Justice Allen E. Monterey, lending his talent to help start December. Broussard, an acquaintance that young office. During his days as a through the Charles Houston Bar public defender, Shelton worked on the CHBA thanks its Gold Sponsor Association, who supported her highly publicized Soledad Brothers case Kazan, McClain, Edises, candidacy. which involved three black inmates ac- Abrams, Fernandez, Lyons & cused of murdering a white guard. He Farrise and Silver Sponsors Pa- “I am fortunate to have a job as left the public sector to begin a private cific Gas & Electric and Thelen interesting and challenging as it is practice for the next six years until his Reid & Priest LLP for their con- to be a federal judge,” she told the judicial appointment. Judge Shelton tinual support of Charles Houston audience. She still finds a network earned his law degree from Creighton Bar events. Our gratitude is also of support among her colleagues University School of Law. extended to CHBA’s 2005 Judicial including the Hon. Saundra Brown Chairperson, Monica F. Wiley, Armstrong, the Hon. Thelton V. Raymond Swope of the San Mateo who organized the luncheon. Henderson, and the Hon. Martin County Counsel’s office, who introduced Jenkins, who eloquently intro- Judge Shelton at the luncheon, was

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 Page 11

The Charles Houston Bar Association wishes to Charles Houston Bar thank Presidents Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe 2005 Jennifer Madden San Francisco, CA 2004 Vernon C. Goins, II & 2003 Vernon C. Goins, II Hanson Bridgett Marcus Vlahos and Rudy, LLP, 2002 Terry O. Wiley 2001 Darryl Stallworth San Francisco, CA 2000 Rozenia Cummings 1999 Rozenia Cummings for their generous support of CHBA! 1998 Demetrius Shelton 1997 Terrie Robinson 1996 Bruce Soublet 1995 Johnathan O. Mayes 1994 Kaye Washington 1993 Kaye Washington 1992 Lloyd Johnson, Jr. 1991 Felix Stuckey 1990 Felix Stuckey 1989 Hon. Gail Bereola 1988 Emma Pendergrass First Annual Walk for Justice A Success! 1987 Emma Pendergrass 5K Run/Walk and Legal Fair 1986 James O. Cole 1985 James O. Cole 1984 Judy Johnson Advancing the twin aims of increased visibility in the community 1983 Judy Johnson and raising money to fund student scholarships, CHBA held its first 1982 Judy Johnson Walk For Justice and Legal Fair at Lake Merritt on Saturday, June 1981 John L. Burris 25, 2005. 1980 John L. Burris 1979 Thomas J. Broome The public event was sponsored by over 20 local businesses. 1978 George Holland Participants arrived at 8:00 am at the lake’s band stand where 1977 Robert L. Harris registration tables and free food was available. CHBA baseball 1976 Robert L. Harris caps and tee-shirts were also on sale. Runners and walkers then 1975 Hon. Benjamin Travis enjoyed a brisk tour around Lake Merritt and returned for an 1974 Hon. Benjamin Travis awards ceremony and the start of the legal fair. 1973 Hon. Benjamin Travis 1972 Hon. Horace Wheatley The fair featured several community legal organizations such as 1971 Hon. James S. White Legal Services for Children, Inc., Family Violence Law Center, 1970 Robert L. Boags Centro Legal de la Raza, the AIDS Legal Referral Panel, and the 1969 Hiawatha Roberts Center for Youth Development Through Law, among others. Each 1968 Hiawatha Roberts organization manned a table where information about their work 1967 Hon. Clinton W. White was distributed and discussed. Our friends from the Oakland Black 1963 Hon. Wiley W. Manuel Firefighters Association were also on hand at their own table in 1961 Hon. Donald P. McCullum support of the Charles Houston Bar Association.

CHBA aspires to expand the success of the Walk for Justice next year. We invite you, your family and friends to participate next Spring!

Planning such a large public event was an enormous undertaking. We applaud exemplary work by executive director Nedra Shawler for creating and executing a safe, fun, and well-organized family event.

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence History Page 12

BEFORE THE LAW CLUB: 1911. Around 1915, he was elected By 1917, Stewart had become a member of the Bar Association of frustrated with Portland. He Early Black Lawyers in San Francisco. As reported by the moved his family to San Francisco Northern California July 24, 1915 Oakland Sunshine where he joined Oscar Hudson’s newspaper, “This is the first Afro- practice. He died two years later Long before there was a Charles American to be admitted to the at the age of forty-two. Houston Law Club, there were cou- San Francisco Bar Association and rageous African-American men and in so far as we know the first Across the Bay, in the early 1900s, women in northern California who Afro-American to be admitted to the total population of the city of began to integrate the local legal any Bar Association in the state of Oakland numbered around 65,000 profession. They often did so California.” but was steadily increasing as a against great odds. As one histo- result of Oakland being the west rian recorded long ago: For years, Hudson’s office was located coast terminus for the transconti- in the Monadnock Building at 681 nental railroad. Black profession- “During pioneer days the prejudice Market Street. He was fluent in both als began advertising in local was so great that a Negro boy could Spanish and Italian. Before becom- newspapers to compete for busi- not be admitted [to the bar], not- ing a lawyer, the United States gov- ness. By 1913, Oakland attorney withstanding he had read law un- ernment had hired him as a Spanish Wade H. Carter advertised his der good instructors who had pre- interpreter during the Spanish-Ameri- services in the Oakland Sunshine. viously examined and considered can war. After establishing his San Two years later, announcements by him qualified for admittance, as was Francisco practice where he special- attorneys Glesner Fowler (in the case of James Wilson, the first ized in criminal defense, he also be- Oakland) and Towson S. Grasty Negro boy to apply for admittance gan publishing the New Age, a news- (whose offices were in the to the bar in Alameda County, Cali- paper that focused on African-Ameri- Chronicle Building in San Fran- fornia. He lived to see afterward can life. In 1919, he was appointed cisco) appeared in the Western others of his race admitted to the Foreign Consul for the Republic of Outlook, another popular African bar and he was appointed and Liberia at the by American newspaper of the times. served as deputy sheriff of Alameda President Woodrow Wilson. County, California for years.” In 1916, H. Leonard (, The Negro Trail McCants Stewart (1877-1919) was Richardson, a U.C. Hastings Blazers of California (1919).) another early black attorney in San graduate, began practicing law Francisco. He was the son of T. from his office on the second floor Legal historian Professor J. Clay McCants Stewart, a famous orator and of the American Trust Bank build- Smith of reports lawyer from New York who helped de- ing in West Oakland. According that Robert Charles O’Hara Ben- segregate that state’s public school to journalist Thomas Fleming, jamin may have been admitted to system and later became Chief Jus- Richardson was the most success- practice law in San Francisco as tice of the Supreme Court of Liberia. ful lawyer in northern California early as 1887. Harrison H. Ferrell during the 1930s. His clientele followed as the second Black ad- At the age of 25, the younger Stewart consisted primarily of Portuguese mitted to practice in California. migrated to Portland, Oregon, where immigrants living in the city of Howard Law School graduate he became the first African-American Alameda. Fleming and Richardson Charles S. Darden was the third. admitted to the Oregon State Bar in grew to become very close friends. Darden obtained his law degree in 1904. He apparently began practic- 1904 and practiced in Southern Cali- ing in 1903 under court authority, but During World War I, Richardson fornia. He is said to be the first was officially admitted in 1904. For served in France alongside African-American to run for a judge- the fourteen years he remained in Charles Hamilton Houston, ship in California. The Prohibition Portland, he was one of only two black another young commissioned of- Party endorsed him as a candidate lawyers practicing. During that time, ficer. The two were also friendly for judge of the police court, but he he argued before the Oregon Su- with Earl Dickerson, a black officer later withdrew his nomination. preme Court in 1905, handled well- who later practiced law in Chicago Charles Houston Law Club Founder publicized cases, and used his celeb- and founded the black-owned Su- Lawrence Sledge, an Oakland rity to speak out for the rights of Af- preme Life Insurance Company. lawyer, was admitted in 1908. rican-Americans and to chastise the government’s failure to stop the As the careers of Richardson and Oscar Hudson (1876-1928) was lynching of Blacks in the South. Charles Houston progressed, the admitted to practice by the First Ap- pellate District Court of Appeals in

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 Page 13 History

two would meet almost annually when Houston visited Oakland was the first black football player to Houston Law Club founder, was ad- during national tours of the win the “Big C” award), and managed mitted to practice in 1929. NAACP’s regional branches. While to work nights as the city of Berkeley’s in town, Houston would often first black policeman. While study- Larche and Vaughns shared office spend a few days at Richardson’s ing at Boalt Hall, Gordon was close space at 1027 Adeline Street in home in Berkeley. While there, friends with Earl Warren, the future Oakland. While Vaughns managed Houston enjoyed playing cards and Alameda County D.A., California Gov- to build a large enough clientele socializing. Race was always the ernor, and, later, Chief Justice of the to sustain a full time legal prac- topic of discussion when Houston United States Supreme Court. tice, Larche initially made ends was in town. By appearances, meet by working nights as a rail- Houston struck Thomas Fleming as Gordon supplemented his work in pri- road dining car server on a train a very disciplined man. vate practice with jobs he performed called “The Lark.” By 1942, Larche for the University of California. He too developed a successful prac- In 1917, John D. Drake – a future also led the NAACP as its president tice and took the position of Gen- founder of the Charles Houston and was one of, if not the most highly eral Chairman of the Dining Car Law Club – respected voice in the black commu- Cooks and Waiters Union. began nity. In fact, Gordon’s leadership of practicing law the NAACP was so popular and well- In 1929, along with George in Oakland. supported that he led the organiza- Vaughns’s admission into the bar, Drake became tion for years. He lived on Acton California welcomed its first Afri- the outspoken Street in Berkeley with his wife, Eliza- can-American female attorney, president of the beth, and his two children. Annie Stephens Coker Northern (1903-1986). A native of Oakland, California In 1945, while Warren was still gov- Coker graduated from Boalt Hall in NAACP. ernor, Gordon was appointed Chair- 1929 and found work in Sacra- Though he and man of the California Adult Authority. mento for the state government Richardson were once at odds over The appointment was a “first” as no where she indexed bills pending the leadership of the NAACP other African American held such high before the California legislature branch, they must have remained office in the state government. It is and wrote legal memoranda. close friends. Drake courted Ms. said that Gordon’s leadership of the Wilette Martin while she worked for Adult Authority garnered him national Attorney Tabytha Anderson is Richardson as his secretary. The acclaim and, in 1955, President San Francisco’s first African Ameri- two would later marry. Eisenhower appointed him Governor can female lawyer. She grew up to the Virgin Islands. The commu- in San Francisco where she at- The next black attorneys to nity celebrated Gordon’s appointment tended Lowell High School and emerge in northern California in- by throwing a multitude of events in completed her undergraduate work cluded Edward Daniel Mabson his honor. These festivities were or- at U.C. Berkeley. When she en- of San Francisco, Leland ganized and attended by Attorney rolled at U.C. Hastings College of Stanford Hawkins of Berkeley George Vaughns, Mr. And Mrs. Aramis Law, she may have become the (who began practicing in August Fouche, Carleton Goodlet, Byron school’s first black female student. of 1922), and Walter A. Gordon, Rumford, and Attorney and Mrs. Anderson transferred from Sr. of Berkeley. Gordon was ad- Claude Young among many other Hastings to Howard University to mitted to the bar in 1923. well-wishers. On October 20, 1955, to continue her legal studies. She he was declared “Berkeley’s Most obtained her law degree in 1931. While H. Leonard Richardson was Useful Citizen” and was selected to the most financially successful recieve the Benjamin Ide Wheeler Anderson was admitted to the black lawyer of the times, Walter gold medal. In 1958, Gordon was in May of Gordon was perhaps the most in- appointed Judge of the Federal Dis- 1933. That same year, she was fluential. Gordon completed his trict Court of the Virgin Islands. asked to address the state conven- undergraduate studies at U.C. Ber- tion of the California Federation of keley in 1918 and went on to be- After Gordon, other lawyers soon fol- Colored Women’s Clubs. As a solo come the first African-American to lowed. Attorney Henry Joseph practitioner, she maintained a gen- graduate from its law program at Meadows Jr. began practicing in eral civil practice. Boalt Hall. While in school, he August of 1925. Two years later, achieved celebrity-status as an ath- Frank M. Larche entered practice. In the community, she was a lete (he lettered in three sports and George R. Vaughns, a Charles member of the Delta Sigma

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Page 14

Before the Law Club, continued THE CHARLES HOUSTON BAR ASSOCIATION Theta Sorority, an organizer of the Aldridge Dramatic Club, a respected HONORS EXCELLENCE! member of the Federated Clubs of California, and a trustee of the Third Hon. Benjamin Travis Community Service Awards Baptist Church in San Francisco. David E. Glover (2004) Faith Fancher (2003) In March of 1935, she bested fellow J. Dominique Pinkney, Esq. (2003) black lawyer Leland S. Hawkins for the Hon. Judge Gloria Rhynes (2002) presidency of the San Francisco NAACP Coach Ken Carter (2001) branch. Four months into her leader- Ms. Oral Lee Brown (2000) ship, however, Anderson succumbed to Hon. Judge Gordon Baranco (1999) complications resulting from high blood Hon. Elihu Harris (1998) pressure and passed away. Upon her Rev. Cecil Williams (1996) death, an obituary in the California Voice Fania Davis, Esq. acknowledged her as “one of the most Ralph Francis (1994) outstanding young Negro women of the Charlton Andrews (1992) Pacific Coast.” Angela Glover Blackwell, Esq. Hon. Judge Brenda Harbin Forte (1991) Another twenty-plus years would pass Hon. Lionel J. Wilson (1986) before the city of Oakland saw its first Robert L. Harris, Esq. (1983) female African American practitioner, Hon. Judge Benjamin Travis (1979) Jane Hornsby VanHook, a Hastings graduate and active member of the Al- Clinton W. White Advocacy Awards (est. 1979) pha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Kappa Kamala Harris, Esq. (2004) Beta Pi Sorority, International Legal So- John Burris, Esq. (2003) ciety. VanHook, a native of Texas, was Gary T. Lafayette, Esq. (2002) also active in the Charles Houston Law Pamela Price, Esq. (1993, 2001) Club. Michelle Alexander, Esq. (2000) Jayne Williams, Esq. (1999) As the years continued, so too did the Anthony K “Van” Jones, Esq. (1998) number of black lawyers in the Bay Area Eva Patterson (1996) increase. These new lawyers entering James R. Bell, Esq. (1994) practice before 1950 included the men Patricia Ector (1992) who would one day join together as the Otis McGee Jr. (1988) Charles Houston Law Club. They in- John L. Burris (1986) cluded, in chronological order by admis- Judy Johnson (1985) sion into the state bar: John Charles John L. Burris (1979) Henderson (admitted 1934), Thomas Lucius Berkley (admitted 1942), Cecil F. Special Recognition Awards Poole (admitted 1946), John Adams Jr. Attorney Billy Hunter (2002) (admitted 1946), Charles Howard Founders of CHBA (1999) Blagburn (admitted 1946), Raymond Hon. Wilmont Sweeney (1994) Jordan (“R.J.”) Reynolds (admitted Jayne Ware Williams (1992) 1948), Clinton Wayne White (admitted Harriet Clark (1992) 1949), Garfield Walton Stewart (admit- Dorothy Guillory (1986) ted 1949), and Sherman W. Smith (ad- mitted 1949). Special “Lifetime Achievement Award” Congressman Ronald V. Dellums (1997)

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 Page 15

Shelton installed as CABL President

California lawyers and judges assembled in at the end of April for the 28th Annual Conference of the California Association of Black Lawyers (CABL). This year, the weekend conference culminated in a moving tribute to the life of Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. (1937 – 2005), recipient of the organization’s Benjamin F. Travis Lifetime Achievement Award. Cochran’s friends, colleagues, and family saluted the legendary lawyer through testimonials about his life and mourned the legal community’s great loss.

The conference opened with a judicial luncheon honoring recently retired judges Dean Farrar, Veronica McBeth, Phrasel Shelton, Rosemary Shumsky, Marcus Demetrius Shelton O. Tucker, and Commissioner H. Kirkland Jones on Friday, April 29th. CABLPresident

Demetrius D. Shelton was installed as the 2005-2006 CABL President at the Saturday evening black-tie Dinner Gala. Many northern California lawyers trav- eled south to support Mr. Shelton and CABL. Among them were eleven CHBA Presidents (Hon. Benjamin Travis, Hon. Horace Wheatley, R. Harris, G. Holland, J. Burris, E. Pendergrass, T. Robinson, R. Cummings, D. Stallworth, V. Goins and J. Madden). Ray Marshall (Past President of the State Bar of California), Gillian G.M. Small (Past President of CABL), Beryl Crumpton (Past President of CABL), and Kimberlei Evans (CHBA Vice President) also attended the Installation Dinner.

Just as he had done seven years earlier (when Shelton was installed as 1998 CHBA President), Judge Wheatley again swore Shelton into office as the new CABL president. In his remarks, Shelton vowed to continue CABL’s legacy of excellence. He pledged to make a difference.

“My message to you,” Shelton said, looking out from the podium, “is to dream big, plan effectively, and make it happen. Ladies and gentlemen, that is exactly what we will do this bar year. We will tackle the tough issues and will do so in an orchestrated and well-executed fashion . . . When I say tackle I mean just that. We will not be lulled into a false sense of belief that by merely talking about the issues that we have done something. The Legislature, the Governor’s Office and the Ward Connerlys of this world will feel our presence.”

Joining Shelton on CABL’s 2005-2006 executive board are CHBA members Judge Horace Wheatley, Stephanie Bolden, Rozenia Cummings, Linnea Willis, Vernon Goins, Charles Smiley, and Darryl Stallworth.

The conference weekend also featured intriguing MCLE seminars on journalism and justice, religion and the practice of law, and a panel discussing the ins and outs of handling a “celebrity trial.” On this latter topic, our own John Burris shared his expertise as a panelist.

Next year’s CABL conference will be in Oakland, California. CABL welcomes your membership and invites you to attend the many entertaining and informative events that will mark the CABL convention in April 2006! To join CABL, download a membership form from calblacklawyers.org.

Visit CABL (calblacklawyers.org) and Region IX of the National Bar Association (nbaregionix.org) to learn about the legal news affecting our community.

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Gallery Page 16

50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE!

College Awareness Advisory Program volunteers

BWL Northern California

Stanley Herbert

1980

Justice Clinton W. White and Past President Thomas J. Broome Judge C. Don Clay

Judge Benjamin Travis

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 Page 17 Gallery

Harriett and Ernest Clark

Emma Pendergrass and friends

Judge Henry Ramsey

Hon. Judith Ford Eva Paterson

Eleanor Manuel and Patricia Howze

Michael Lawson

NorCal African American Judges

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Law Club Page 18

Introducing our was the outspoken President of the cal showing of David W. Griffith’s Founders northern California NAACP branch film Birth of a Nation. Mabson later based in Oakland. In the December led for the creation of a by Charles Smiley 14, 1929 edition of the The Oakland separate NAACP office in San Fran- Independent, Drake penned his view cisco because the Oakland branch The thirty-two founders of the on “The Law and the Lawyer” as fol- “had its hands full” in the East Bay. Charles Houston Law Club are lows: “Broadly and professionally By 1923, black San Franciscans had smart, interesting, and courageous. speaking, one is not known, desig- their application for a NAACP They litigated civil rights battles on nated or rated in the professions by branch charter granted. Attorney behalf of the NAACP. At least eight his nationality, race or color, but by Mabson married Berlinda Davison, of them were NAACP branch presi- the ability of those who acquire them. a Cal graduate who went on to dents. They campaigned for state But, because of the ignorance and obtain a master’s degree in educa- and local political offices. One third race antipathy of the white Americans tion in 1922. of them became judges. They were on the one hand and the ignorance community leaders, entrepreneurs, and inferiority complex of colored George Robert and “firsts” of the race to break Americans on the other, that broad Vaughns color barriers in many areas of the principle does not obtain in America. (1901-1976) legal profession. They pioneered Because of the inferiority complex and George Robert the path. Eight of them have been slave psychology of the American Vaughns, a de- inducted in to the National Bar As- Negro growing out of over two hun- scendent of the sociation Hall of Fame. dred and fifty years of slavery, he great abolitionist believes the ability of the professional Frederick Douglass, was born and In order of their entry into the prac- man is determined by the color of his raised in the Bay Area and educated tice of law in California, these skin, and he believes and acts upon in Oakland’s public schools. In founders are: that belief, even in California, that it 1928, he graduated from St. Mary’s is necessary to employ a lawyer other College of Law. Lawrence Sledge than a colored lawyer to obtain jus- Of the founders, the oldest practi- tice in the courts . . . I know of my Vaughns began his legal career as tioner was Lawrence Yates own knowledge that there cannot be a solo practitioner, but soon teamed Sledge. He began practicing in found in all this land a higher class, up with lawyer Frank M. Larche 1908. People called him “Lawyer more impartial and just set of judges during the 1930s in an Oakland Sledge,” mostly because that is how than in the County of Alameda, Cali- office. The other black lawyers in he referred to himself. Sledge was fornia. In these courts, there is ab- the East Bay at the time included an Assistant Pastor of a large Oak- solutely no discrimination by the men such as Walter A. Gordon, land Church. Many of his clients Court against a client or attorney be- Henry J. Meadows, Jr., and H. were members of his congregation. cause of race, nationality or anything Leonard Richardson. else. The court records of Alameda Around 1913, he maintained an of- County disclose the fact that colored In the early 1940s, Vaughns’ ad- fice at 516 Eleventh Street in Oak- attorneys win a larger per cent of their vocacy on behalf of the Local A26 land. His wife was Chlora Hayes cases than do the attorneys of any of the Boilermakers Union com- Sledge, a prominent Oakland Club other group. Hence, the colored at- pelled Bay Area shipyards to com- Woman and Past State President of torney solicits business, not on the ply with President Roosevelt’s ex- the California State Association of ground of his color, but on the ground ecutive order against discrimination Colored Women’s Clubs, Inc. Mrs. of his ability to render as efficient and in war-related industries. This vic- Sledge was once instrumental in competent professional services as tory contributed to the subsequent bringing the only Negro United any other lawyer or group of lawyers.” employment of thousands of Afri- States Congressman, Oscar can-Americans in the ship building DePriest, to the city of Oakland to Edward D. Mabson industry. speak. Edward Mabson, a native of Colum- bus Ohio, studied law at night and, Throughout his life, Vaughns John D. Drake in 1919, was admitted to practice in helped launch many legal careers. In September of California. He was the vocal leader The firm of Vaughns, (John) Bussey 1917, John D. of a group called the Negro Equity & (Thomas) Berkley is credited by Drake started to League (NEL), a forerunner of the San some as the first all-black law firm practice law. For Francisco NAACP branch. The NEL in the state that had more than two many years, Drake emerged during protests over the lo- lawyers. At various times,

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Vaughns’ office was the profes- As both lawyer and then judge, During World War II, Henderson sional home to attorneys Clinton Bussey enjoyed the reputation as a handled a well-publicized trial in White, William “Billy” Dixon, and counselor of young attorneys and law Vallejo that involved black sailors Lionel Wilson. students, many of whom he gave in- accused of mutiny. In 1950, a struction to help them pass the bar group of prominent African Ameri- As an able entrepreneur, Vaughns exam. “You couldn’t toss a rock on can professionals had been founded the Trans-Bay Federal Montgomery Street without hitting an charged in the criminal court. Savings and Loan Association, one attorney he’d helped pass the bar,” Each of the defendants promptly of the largest African American remarked one of Bussey’s friends just hired a white lawyer, except for controlled savings and loan com- days after the judge succumbed to one, who retained John panies in the country. He also cancer at age 65. Carl B. Metoyer Henderson. When the jury re- served as the first African Ameri- acknowledges that Bussey had a good turned its verdict, only can Commissioner on the business with his bar preparation Henderson’s client was acquitted. Alameda County Planning Com- course. At that time, his was prob- After that case, Henderson’s of- mission, a position he held for 15 ably the best “bar prep” or “refresher fice telephone practically rang off years (1958-1973). In 1962, he course” in the area. Bussey enjoyed the hook. made an unsuccessful run for a constant strong enrollment and judicial seat in Alameda County. taught both black and white students. Henderson was one of the men Indeed, founders Tom Berkley and the NAACP frequently called upon Recognizing his importance in the Claude O. Allen profited from taking to handle their west coast cases. black legal community, a 1964 Bussey’s exam refresher course. He was also politically active, and edition of the Oakland Post news- once introduced United States paper referred to him as “the dean The son of a minister, Judge Bussey President Truman at a local rally of Negro lawyers” in the Bay Area. was born on a farm near Columbus, supporting the President’s re-elec- Georgia, but grew up in southern tion. He campaigned for a seat Hon. John Wesley Bussey California after his family moved West in the State Assembly and was (1904 – 1969) shortly after his birth. In 1926, he considering a run for an Alameda Founder John W. Bussey was the graduated from the University of Cali- County judicial seat when he died first African American to become fornia, Berkeley, where he was also suddenly on May 22, 1952. His a municipal and superior court a track athlete. active pallbearers included attor- judge in San Francisco. He earned neys George Vaughns and his law degree from Harvard in John Charles Henderson Augustin Donovan. Clinton White, 1931 and passed the California Born in Texas, John C. Henderson a longtime friend of Henderson, State Bar that arrived to California at a young age stepped in to take over same year. and grew up in Oakland. For many Henderson’s practice. He briefly years, he worked as a clerk at the practiced Oakland Post Office, a job he main- Thomas Lucius Berkley criminal law tained even while attending law One day during 1942 in the as a deputy school. For a period time, he also Peralta Housing Project, Tom district attor- worked as a night clerk at a hotel. Berkley learned that he had ney in After law school, he enrolled in John passed the difficult California bar Alameda Bussey’s bar review course to prepare exam. Word of his success spread County (circa himself for the difficult examination. quickly throughout the community 1945), taught and, on that same night, Attor- criminal law at Howard Uni- Henderson began practicing law in ney Robert Vaughns paid an un- versity (1946 – 1948) and entered June of 1934. His first office was on announced visit to the young private practice as a partner in the 7th Street in West Oakland. Years man’s residence to invite him to firm of Vaughns, Bussey & later, he relocated to 10th Street and join his law practice. Berkley. His appointement to the Broadway. His daughter, Elberta municipal bench arrived in 1958 Eriksson, recalls spending much of “He was a doer with boundless en- from Governor Goodwin J. Knight. her teenage years in her father’s of- ergy. An idea man with a broad Governor Edmund Brown elevated fice and at the law library. A close range of interests and a wealth Judge Bussey to the Superior childhood friend of hers was Allen E. of knowledge on any topic,” ob- Court. Broussard, a future state Supreme served Paul Cobb, current pub- Court Justice and CHBA member. lisher of the Oakland Post.

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he also owned a Mexican restaurant. Beginning in 1958, Poole spent three years working as the Execu- In 1986, the NBA indcuted Berkley tive Clemency Secretary and Le- into its Hall of Fame. gal Counsel to Governor Edmund G. Brown. President John F. Tom Berkley passed away in 2001 at Kennedy then nominated him to the age of 86. The following year, be United States Attorney for the the city of Oakland renamed Northern District of California in downtown’s 20th Street in the 1961. (At that time, California had attorney’s honor, Thomas L. Berkley but two judicial districts, the North- Way. ern and the Southern.) Judge Poole was thus the first Afri- Hon. Justice Cecil F. Poole can-American to serve as a Berkley scored at the top of his (1914-1997) United States Attorney on the class at Fullerton Junior College in Cecil Poole was admitted to the State continental United States. He 1936. He earned public attention Bar of California in 1946. His stellar resigned after eight years to as a track-and-field star for the career saw him become the first black become Regents Professor of Bruins after he transferred to UCLA. deputy district attorney in San Fran- Law at Boalt Hall and later re- He obtained his law degree from cisco, the first black United States At- turned to private practice in 1970. U.C. Hastings College of the Law torney in the continental United in 1942 and practiced for only a States, and the first black federal In 1976, Poole became the first Af- few months after passing the bar judge for the rican-American appointed to the before he was inducted into the Northern District of United States District Court for the army. After his honorable dis- California. He Northern District of California af- charged in 1946 as a Second Lieu- completed his ca- ter President Gerald R. Ford nomi- tenant, he established his own reer as a Justice on nated him. Three years later, un- firm, Thomas Berkley and Associ- the Ninth Circuit der President , Judge ates. Joining him at the firm were Court of Appeals. Poole was appointed to the United future law club members Terry States Court of Appeals for the Francois, Joseph Kennedy, and He obtained under- Ninth Circuit. He assumed senior Clinton White, depicted together on graduate degrees status on January 15, 1996. the cover of this publication. The from the University of Michigan (A.B. firm specialized in personal injury 1935; LL.B. 1938) and attended law Judge Poole was born in Birming- litigation and grew quickly. The school at Harvard (LL.M. 1939). He ham, Alabama. firm’s name changed to Berkley, started his legal career at a firm in Randall and Harvey, and became (1940) but soon left to ‘’He was . . . an invaluable mentor renown as the largest racially in- join the National Labor Relations to so many, including myself. When tegrated, bilingual law firm in the Board in Washington, D.C. I was first appointed to the bench, entire country. Allen Broussard Judge Poole took me under his once worked there too. During World War II, he served for wing, and I will never forget the three years as a first lieutenant in the friendship and guidance he gave In addition to a law practice, Judge Advocate General’s office for me over the years.” - Judge Berkley served as Commissioner of the 447th Bombardment Group. Thelton Henderson. the Port of Oakland. He founded the Inter-City Democratic Club of In 1945, Poole relocated to San Fran- Judge Poole also served as direc- Northern California and co-founded cisco. For one year, he worked in the tor of the NAACP Defense and Le- the Beneficial Savings & Loan As- West Coast Regional Office of the gal Education Fund, as a trustee sociation in Oakland, an institution Office of Price Administration as Chief of the Urban League and in vari- providing financial assistance to of the Appellate Department. He left ous other community organiza- low-income people. In the early that office to start his own practice tions. In 1986, he was inducted 1960s, he founded the Post News- and, a few years later, was invited to into the National Bar Association paper Group. He also served on nu- join the San Francisco District Hall of Fame. merous boards of directors, includ- Attorney’s office, becoming its first ing the Oakland Unified School Dis- African-American deputy in 1949. By trict and the Commercial Bank of 1955, the year the Law Club formed, San Francisco. Fluent in Spanish, Poole was a supervisor in that office.

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John Adams Jr. Paul African Methodist Episcopal on the California Court of Appeals, (1905-1999) Church in Berkeley. He was also a First Appellate District. As acknowl- John Adams, Jr., the son of a law- past president of the San Francisco edged by John Burris, “In the yer, began practicing law in NAACP branch. 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, he was the Omaha, Nebraska in 1929. Less consummate lonely warrior repre- than six years later, he was At its 1986 annual meeting, the NBA senting African Americans in court- elected to the Nebraska state leg- inducted John Adams Jr. into its Hall rooms where the odds were per- islature, a position he held until of Fame. petually stacked against them.” he enlisted in the army in 1943. While in the state legislature, he Charles Howard Blagburn was The son of a barber, White grew proposed legislation that made admitted to practice in November of up in Sacramento. One of his high lynching a criminal offense. He 1946. school teachers suggested to him discharged from the military as a that he might make a good lawyer. captain in 1947 and moved west Hon. Raymond Jordan Reynolds The idea stuck. to Berkeley, California. (1906-1995) R.J. Reynolds was born and raised in After graduating from Boalt Hall, Adams established law offices in Topeka, Kansas. There, he earned White was one of two African- San Francisco and developed a both his bachelor’s and law degrees Americans admitted to the state bar successful private practice over from Washburn University. He then in January of 1949. At that time in thirteen years. During this time, practiced in Kansas for 17 years until the Bay Area, one could practically he announced his intention to file he moved to the Bay Area in 1946. count the total number of black at- as a Republican candidate for While in Kansas, Reynolds spent torneys on two hands. White went election to the State Assembly for seven years as president of the To- to work for Thomas L. Berkley the 17th District. He was then 47 peka branch of the NAACP. He was years old. admitted to the State Bar of Califor- nia in 1948. Three years later, in In 1957, he and colleague Terry 1951, he was elected president of the Francois were described at “two local NAACP branch. of San Francisco’s most outstand- ing Negro attorneys” in an article Reynolds became the first African about their involvement in the American lawyer to join the San Fran- national presidential campaign cisco city attorney’s office when he then under way. Both men toured became a deputy in 1954. In 1969, the state urging black voters to Governor Ronald Reagan appointed cast their ballot for Eisenhower him to the San Francisco municipal and the GOP ticket. Adams was court where he served as a judge until a member of the Northern Cali- his retirement in 1979. fornia Steering Committee of the Eisenhower-Nixon Campaign. Judge Reynolds was active in the community and was a member and In 1960, he joined the Veteran’s trustee of the A.M.E. Church. He died Administration of San Francisco as on August 14, 1995 in Oakland after its Attorney General. He held this a long illness. He was 89 years old. position for four years until tak- where he became the firm’s primary ing the post as Chief Counsel for The judge was inducted into the NBA trial lawyer. The juries hearing the the Department of Real Estate in Hall of Fame in 1986. He also cases he tried in the first ten years San Francisco. authored two books: Sharing My of his career rarely included a single Notebook; and, Ladies and Gentle- African American juror. Described as a loving husband, fa- men of the Jury. ther, and friend who was “always In an obituary article, Burris con- willing to help,” Adams contrib- Hon. Justice tinued, “As a physically imposing uted his energies to many groups, Clinton Wayne White and proud man with a rich baritone including: Berkeley Addiction (1921- 2001) voice, he demanded respect for Treatment Services, the San Fran- Clinton W. White was a masterful trial himself and his clients. As such he, cisco Urban League, and the St. lawyer who later served as a Justice more than any lawyer of his gen-

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eration, changed the perception of living alone near Ocean Beach. He was admitted to practice in Janu- African American lawyers.” was 75 years old. ary of 1950.

Clinton White had not aspired to ’’Garfield Steward was a great law- Lionel Wilson died of cancer in be a judge. Henry Ramsey tipped yer, brilliant, gentle, steady and hon- 1998 at his Montclair home. He that hand of fate by putting forth est,’’ said Willie Brown in an interview was 82. White’s name to be considered for after the shooting. ‘’He did as much judicial appointment. White was pro bono work as any lawyer I’ve ever “Lionel Wilson, a giant both in law appointed to the Alameda County met. That’s the kind of thing that and politics, blazed trails over Superior Court in 1977, but was sums up a man.” which many have followed, promptly chosen to sit as a pro tem including myself.” – former judge on the Court of Appeals. Sherman W. Smith was admitted Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris. Governor Jerry Brown turned that to the California bar about six months pro tem assignment into a perma- after Clinton White and Garfield Stew- Terry Arthur Francois nent job by appointing White to the ard. (1922-1989) First Appellate District in 1978. Terry Francois, the first African- Hon. Lionel J. Wilson American to sit on the San Fran- “Clinton White, the lawyer, could (1915-1998) cisco Board of Supervisors, was not be overwhelmed in court. He Lionel Wilson became the first Afri- one of the principle movers behind was respectful, but made sure his can-American judge on the Alameda the Charles point was made and he refused to County bench and later became the Houston Law back down.” -- George Holland, first African-American mayor of Oak- Club. July 2001. land, California. Born in New Garfield Walton Steward In 1960, Wilson became the first Orleans, (1915-1990) Black judge in Alameda County, a po- Francois A native of Seabreeze, New Jersey, sition in which he served until 1976. graduated attorney Garfield W. Steward be- One year later, he was elected mayor from Xavier gan practicing law in 1949. of Oakland, CA, where he led what University in 1940. He made his was then considered the most inte- way to California after serving in An article in the San Francisco grated city in America. Wilson was World War II as a sergeant in the Chronicle commented that Steward elected to a total of three terms, but Marines. After arriving to the Bay “was well known for championing lost his bid for re-election in 1990 to Area, he married Marion Le Blanc unpopular causes, particularly for his CHBA colleague Elihu Harris. in 1947 while he studied law at the poor. He graduated from U.C. Hastings. He was admitted Hastings College of the Law and Wilson grew up in Oakland. His fam- to the state bar in 1950. waged legal battles for the local ily moved to the East Bay from New chapter of the NAACP.” Orleans around 1918. He attended He clerked at the firm of Thomas Clawson Elementary and McClymonds Berkley & Associates where he He fought for civil rights. As a life- High School. In 1932, he entered U.C. worked with Joseph Kennedy and long member of the NAACP, Stew- Berkeley with the hopes of playing Clint White. After law school, he ard served as chairman of its legal basketball or baseball for the school created his own practice in the redress committee for many years. but was rejected on account of his Filmore District. His office at 497 In 1962, he successfully argued a race. Naturally, it was the university’s Fulton Street would, over the major housing discrimination case loss. Wilson had played professional years, host many prominent Bay before the state Supreme Court. In baseball for the Oakland Larks, a Pa- Area lawyers including Joseph Wil- 1974, he became involved in the cific Coast Negro League team. Even liams, Willie Brown Jr., Garfield ‘’Zebra Killers’’ case. after that experience, Wilson’s love Steward, and John Dearman (now of sports never waned. a San Francisco Superior Court In 1990, attorney Steward was fa- Judge). tally shot at his Market Street law Wilson worked his way through office. His assailant reportedly died school, taking jobs as a porter, dish- Francois’ practice covered both in a subsequent gun battle with re- washer, and sugar factory laborer to general civil and criminal cases. sponding police officers. At that support himself. He obtained his ju- He made a name for himself in time, Steward, a widower, had been ris doctorate from U.C. Hastings and 1952 as part of an NAACP legal

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team that successfully challenged Sept. 15, 1963, for protesting hous- main goal was to be a state su- San Francisco’s discriminatory pub- ing discrimination at a sit-in. preme court justice. At Charles lic housing policies in the cel- Houston Law Club events, Kennedy ebrated case of Mattie Banks v. San He was named to the San Francisco was close to both Wiley Manuel and Francisco Housing Authority. That Board of Supervisors in 1964 by Allen Broussard. case was one of his proudest mo- Mayor John Shelley, and in 1967 won ments. election to a four-year term. His Also in 1954, Kennedy campaigned popularity led him to serve as a su- for a seat in the state assembly, Terry Francois hosted one of the pervisor for fourteen years. He re- but lost in the Democratic primary first law club meetings when it was signed to return to private practice in to the incumbent. Notwithstand- decided, in his living room, to take 1978. ing the set-back, he remained po- the name of Charles Hamilton litically active by supporting other Houston. Speaking of her Terry Francois passed away on June democrats in their efforts. husband’s optimism for the fledg- 9, 1989. He was 67. The city of San ling club, Marion Francois recalled Francisco renamed a China Basin On January 23, 1963, Kennedy, 46, that the law club founders hoped street in his honor, Terry A. Francois was sworn in as a member of the to stimulate younger black attor- Boulevard. State Industrial Accident Commis- neys enough so that they would sion and thus became one of the not let themselves be marginalized. Hon. Joseph Gamble Kennedy higest ranking African American Admitted to the state bar in January state officials in California. Francois lost his bid for the presi- of 1950 alongside his Hastings class- dency of the San Francisco branch mates Lionel Wilson, Terry Francois, As a president of the San Francisco of the NAACP in 1955, but success- and Garfield Steward was Joseph NAACP, he emerged as a prominent fully ran again in 1959. Kennedy, the second African Ameri- voice in the community. He served can judge to sit on the San Francisco as a national director of the NAACP In 1957, Francois’ legal work for bench. He was first appointed to the and was actively involved in the Ur- the NAACP led to the creation of a municipal court in 1963 and was sub- ban League, the Booker T. Wash- fair employment practices ordi- sequently elected to the superior ington Community nance in San Francisco. court by a large margin of votes. His Center, and the tenure as a judicial officer lasted for Family and Service Unquestionably, Francois was out- over fifteen years. Agency of San spoken. In a 1963 interview, he Francisco, among explained an aspect of the relation- Before becoming a judge, Kennedy other groups. ship between police officers and had worked as a public defender in Later, he further the black community. “Most Ne- San Francisco for almost ten years. served as presi- groes who migrate here, unfortu- Before that, in 1950, he got his start dent of the San nately, come with preconceived working as a new lawyer at Thomas Francisco Council ideas about police. A policeman is Berkley & Associates. of Churches. With not the protector but the oppres- these community sor. To turn a fellow Negro over to Kennedy was born in Marysville, Ten- credentials behind the police is to turn him over to nessee and received his undergradu- him and calls from the black com- the oppressor. Our police here tend ate education in that state before munity to fill municipal court to minimize this fact, partly be- moving to Chicago to be near his vancancies with at least one black cause of their own hostility to the mother. He moved to California with judge, Governor Edmund “Pat” Negro, partly because most his first wife who passed away in the Brown appointed Kennedy to the policemen’s contact is with the Ne- late 1940s. San Francisco Municipal Court in gro they arrest in a ghetto tavern . 1963. . . Incidentally, I heartily recom- Kennedy served during WWII in the mend to you the action of the Ber- Air Force. He wsa honorably dis- In 1968, upon receiving the S.F. keley police, who now have stand- charged in 1946 as a lieutenant. Council of Churches’ Ecumenical ing orders to address all arrestees Award, Judge Kennedy was recog- as ‘Sir.’ You can’t imagine how de- In 1954, he married Willie B. nized for “his sensitivity to the meaning it is to be called ‘boy’ Kennedy. She recalls that her late needs of people, especially the when you’re being arrested.” husband’s ambition was always to be poor, the disadvantaged and the Francois himself was arrested on a judge. He used to tell her that his oppressed; for his courageous

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leadership in realms which are filled Clement Abels joined the northern His prolific legal career began af- with controversy and which de- California legal community. ter he returned from serving in a mand personal risks; for his cheer- racially segregated army unit dur- ful buoyant manner and sense of A graduate of Cal Berkeley and ing WWII. He joined the NAACP humor; for his workable visions and Golden Gate University School of Law, and worked directly with its spe- for his vital faith.” Billy Dixon was a partner in the cial counsel, Thurgood Marshall, prestigious Oakland firm of Vaughns, on several cases heard by the Like Judge John Bussey and Judge Dixon & White and served on the ex- United States Supreme Court (e.g. Lionel Wilson, Kennedy also made ecutive Board of the Oakland NAACP. Watts v. Indiana (1949) [reversal a priority of being available to coun- In July of 1955, during the formation of murder conviction based on a sel other black lawyers. He wished of the Houston Law Club, he partici- coerced confession], Barrows v. to promote more young black law- pated in the NAACP’s 46th annual con- Jackson (1953) [a restrictive cov- yers to become judges. vention held in Atlantic City, New Jer- enant case] and Sipuel v. Univer- sey, where he was chairman of the sity of Oklahoma (1948) [state law Judge Kennedy passed away in Constitutional Revision Committee. school cannot deny qualified black 1979. The ambitious theme of that NAACP candidate based upon her race].) convention was the abolishment of all 1950: In 1950, the State Bar of vestiges of discrimination by 1963. The NAACP then sent Williams to California also admitteed Francis California as its regional secretary- Sidney Heffron (SBN: 21259) Dixon was very active in the commu- counsel for the western states. He and Charles Edward Wilson nity and frequently received mention was admitted to the California bar (SBN: 21755). in the society pages of the California in 1953, two years before the Voice newspaper. He was a member Charles Houston Law Club formed. In December of 1955, the black of the graduate chapter of Alpha Phi legal community was outraged Alpha, president of the East Bay In 1959, he served as Assistant when San Francisco judge Timothy Council of Clubs, a member of the Attorney General for the State of I. Fitzpatrick commented of attor- Bachelors and Benedicts, The Renais- California. In that position, it is ney Charles Wilson, while Wilson sance Club, The Exclusive Men, The said that Williams forced the Pro- was questioning a witness, “Who Men of Tomorrow, The Octagons, and fessional Golfers Association to do we have here, the Ace of the Elks. admit black players. After two Spades?” This remark sparked years, Stanley Mosk appointed heated controversy. Franklin Will- Dixon married Ola Andrews in June Williams Chief of the Attorney iams, secretary for the NAACP, pub- of 1957. News of the popular couples’ General’s constitutional rights sec- licly demanded an apology. Wil- engagement made headlines. (Cali- tion. This promotion likely recog- son himself told the press that he fornia Voice, January 25, 1957.) nized Williams’ superior analytical expected “no preferential treatment skills learned during his NAACP in the courts, but I do expect to be Murville Abels practiced law in the days working with Thurgood treated as any other attorney re- Filmore District. For a time, he prac- Marshall’s team of lawyers. gardless of the color of my skin.” ticed law with his brother Ulma Abels, Judge Fitzpatrick admitted making Esq. When President John F. Kennedy the remark, but explained that was elected, Williams moved to “When Wilson stepped forward, I Hon. Franklin H. Williams Washington D.C., where he did not know he was the attorney (1918-1990) helped create the Peace Corps in the case. I remarked in a whis- Franklin Williams spent his life ad- and worked as its regional direc- per to my court commissioner . . . vancing the cause of tor supervising its work and ac- something about how he looked civil rights. Among his tivities on the African continent. like the ace of spades. But no in- many accomplish- sult was intended, and it was in a ments, he was the first In 1963, Williams was named U.S. whisper. I believed that no one African-American representative to the U.N. Eco- heard it . . . I am ignoring the de- named to the United nomic and Social Council and later mand for an apology.” (California Nations Economic and led several American delegations Voice, Dec. 23, 1955.) Social Council and to United Nations conferences. served as the American ambassador 1952: In July of 1952, William to Ghana. In 1970, he was named president (“Billy”) C. Dixon and Murville of the Phelps-Stokes Fund, a foun- dation that works to improve edu-

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upon recommendation, gained a job cation for American Indians, Afri- as a bailiff at the California Supreme Metoyer’s classmates at U.C. cans, and African-Americans. The Court for Justice Phil Gibson. Hastings. Upon graduation, he set Phelps-Stokes Fund presently has up a private practice in the Filmore an award named in Franklin Will- Academically, Metoyer was at the top District. He later worked as a iams’ honor. of his class at Hastings. He perhaps Deputy City Attorney in San Fran- set an example to another young cisco. Away from his legal career, He died in May of 1990 of lung can- black student in the class behind him Cannon was a minister. cer. He was 72. named Wiley Manuel, who would also score at the top of his law class. “We Hon. Richard A. Bancroft, Sr. Carl B. Metoyer drove [the other students] crazy!” (1918 - 2005) On Friday, January 9, 1970, 44 year Metoyer defiantly laughed during a Richard A. Bancroft died peacefully old attorney Carl Bernard Metoyer 2004 interview. “They couldn’t un- on May 7, 2005, at age 86, in Wash- became the first African-American derstand how that could happen . . . ington D.C. A graduate of Howard president of the Alameda County and we used to tease the hell out of Law School, Bancroft was the Bar Association. Prior to that, he them.” founder who suggested that the had also been the first African- law club take the name of Charles American to sit on its board of di- He graduated in 1952 and joined fel- Hamilton Houston. rectors, including the position of low Hastings alumnus Terry Francois Vice President in 1969. at his practice in the Filmore District after passing the bar exam. He was Metoyer was born in 1925 and grew admitted to the state bar in 1953. up in North Oakland, not too far from his boyhood friend Lionel Wil- In 1955, Terry Francois told Metoyer son. His father was a carpenter about the plan for Bay Area black law- and his mother yers to form a law club. Metoyer ac- was a housewife tively participated in the group from who worked at the the beginning. Del Monte cannery on San Pablo Av- During the 1960s, Metoyer worked enue during sum- with Wilmont T. Sweeney and earned mertime. a reputation as an east bay “leader in antipoverty and jobs campaigns.” After graduating Like his contemporaries, Judge from Oakland’s Metoyer continues his private prac- Bancroft also led an amazing life. University High tice in West Oakland in the same of- He was one of seven children who School, he spent fice he built in 1959, located at 6014 enjoyed what he described as a two and a half years in the Navy Market Street in Oakland. “big, full rich family life; we had a where he was part of an all-black lot of singing going on, a lot of unit sent to occupy the city of In 2002, he was inducted into the Na- dancing, a lot of good humor. It was Okinowa, Japan at the end of World tional Bar Association Hall of Fame. difficult to believe, as I can now, War II. He was 21 years old. that our privation was so bad.” At The Hon. George D. Carroll and a young age in his hometown of After his discharge in 1946, he re- Horace Leroy Cannon both joined Albany, New York, Bancroft earned turned to Oakland and began un- the state bar in 1953. Judge Carroll money shining shoes and selling dergraduate studies at the Univer- had studied law at Brooklyn Law newspapers in front of the state sity of California as an economics School in New York. In 1961, he was Capitol. His mother died in 1928 major. At that time, there were so elected to the Richmond City Council when he was ten. Six years later, few blacks at Cal, they used to joke and, during ten months covering 1964 he set out on his own and found that they could all sit on the bridge and 1965, he served as that city’s work as an amatuer boxer, a jani- at Sather Gate and still have room mayor. Carroll was later appointed tor, and a tap dancer. for some more folks. to the municipal court bench. In 2002, the National Bar Association Advice from a social worker led him By the time he graduated from admitted Judge Carroll into its Hall to enroll at Howard University for Berkley, Metoyer was both a hus- of Fame. his undergraduate studies. There, band and father. He enrolled at he supported himself through U.C. Hastings to study law and, “Roy” Cannon was one of Carl school by cleaning student dormi-

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tories. His major was political sci- years in a row as both law club member, Justice Allen ence. a 1L and 2L. He E. Broussard, the second African- earned Order of the American to sit on the California In 1942, Bancroft joined the Unites Coif honors, was editor- Supreme Court.) States Marine Corps where he in-chief of the Hastings served for four years. Law Journal (the first Hiawatha T. Roberts African-American to do National Bar Association Hall of After the war, he worked for two so), and was a member Fame inductee (2002) Hiawatha years as a labor union official be- of the Thurston Society. T. Roberts was a past president fore applying to law school. He of the Charles Houston Law Club, graduated from Howard University Manuel was also the serving for two consecutive in 1951 at the top of his law school first African-American years. He graduated from class. His high marks also earned appointed to the State Attorney Hastings College of Law with him a fellowship at Boalt Hall in Ber- General’s Office in 1953 when he was Wiley Manuel. They were the keley where he pursued his LL.M. sworn in as a student legal assistant. only two African-American He was admitted to the State Bar The position proved to be a stepping- graduates that year. Roberts has of California in 1954. stone for Manuel, who, after gradua- practiced in Oakland ever since. tion, spent over twenty years in the His successful career in private After twenty-four years of private AG’s San Francisco office, including practice has spanned fifty years. practice (1954-1976), he submitted five years as Chief Assistant. In 1963, his name for consideration as a ju- he served as president of the Charles “Hi” Roberts devoted his legal ca- dicial officer. Three months after he Houston Law Club. reer to advance the causes of the first expressed interest in a judge- underprivileged. A veteran of the ship, he received his answer. On In 1976, Governor Jerry Brown ap- Army Air Force during WWII, he April 8, 1976, Gov. “Jerry” Brown pointed Manuel to the Alameda has occasionally described his appointed Bancroft to the Alameda County Superior Court. One year advocacy as “guerilla fighting.” County Superior Court. There, he later, he was again selected, but this One memorable case involved served from 1976 until his retire- time as Justice of the state supreme the City of Hayward’s move to ment in 1988. Of his work on the court. He was subsequently elected annex, through eminent domain, bench, he grew especially fond of to a twelve year term that would have Russell City, a predominantly Af- presiding over adoptions. “There’s expired in 1990. Sadly, he passed rican-American settlement. Rob- a lot of laughter and a lot of joy, away on January 5, 1981. erts’ work helped assure that the and a lot of fun,” he said in a 1986 affected residents were appropri- interview. Justice Manuel was known for his ately compensated for the tak- active involvement in numerous com- ing. In 1998 at its meeting in Memphis, munity, civic and fraternal organiza- the National Bar Association in- tions. He had also been lector and Over the course of his career, he ducted Judge Bancroft into its Hall lay minister of communion for Saint landed positions including Gen- of Fame. Paschal’s Catholic Church in Oakland. eral Counsel for the United Auto Worker’s Union and General Hon. Justice He married Eleanor M. Williams in Counsel for the Oakland Unified Wiley William Manuel 1948 and raised two children, Yvonne School District. He was the first (1927 – 1981) and Gary. Eleanor Manuel continues African-American to hold the lat- On February 12, 1977, Founder to champion her husband’s causes by ter post. Wiley William Manuel became the steering the Wiley Manuel Law Foun- first African-American Justice of the dation, Inc. (WMLF), a non-profit Roberts graduated from the Uni- California Supreme Court. scholarship foundation that conducts versity of Denver in 1950 with a high school appellate argument com- degree in political science. Manuel attended petitions and hosts an annual awards Hastings College of dinner honoring its student scholar- He has been active in numerous the Law where he ship recipients. community organizations and graduated second in has been a member of the Ev- his class in 1953. He A courthouse ergreen Baptist Church since had been number bears Justice Manuel’s name. (It is 1956. one in his class two across the street from another court- house that bears the name of another In 2004, the Wiley Manuel Law Foundation recognized him as a

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 Page 27 Feature

Legal Pioneer. After fifty years of of the Democratic Central Committee. cross-burning: “The police threw private practice, he plans to return Of his political aspirations, Allen water at it. We went home.” to Texas. mused, “I was a little too honest at the time for politics.” Over the course of his legal career, Claude Otho Allen Allen experienced ups and downs, Claude Allen’s colleagues delighted A self-described “ambitious” man, made a lot of money, and, despite in the way he took over any court- Claude Allen had always wanted to having done much, always aspired room he entered. “I say a man attend law school. After moving to to accomplish more. He loved his can do anything he wants to,” he Oakland, he found part-time work as wife, Nell, and was very proud of once observed of his life. “I’m will- a clerk running errands for attorney his children. “I do anything I can ing to fight for the rights of my John C. Henderson. In 1950, he en- for family. I only want them to live people.” rolled in the night program at San good,” he said in the same 1980 Francisco Law School. During the day, interview. Allen was born in 1916 in he worked at a warehouse, a job that Lumberton, Mississippi. In high gave him opportunities to sit down In 1976, Attorney Allen suffered a school, he was the catcher for the and study. Allen graduated in 1953 paralyzing stroke that curbed his Piney Woods High School baseball with an LLB degree. He next took career as a trial lawyer. team. During summers, the team John Bussey’s review course to pre- traveled throughout the midwest pare for the California bar exam. Armeka Theophilus Jackson playing exhibition games against In 1955, Armeka Jackson began other Negro teams. When a town Allen was admitted to the state bar practicing law. He had wanted to didn’t have a field, they’d set up in July of 1954 around his 38th birth- be a lawyer all of his life and on the prairie. During the sum- day. He quickly set up shop. “I made achieved that goal at mer of 1934, Allen caught from money from the first day,” he recalled the age of 41 when famed Negro League pitcher Leroy in a 1980 interview. “I had a couple he earned his law de- “Satchell” Paige at a game in Jack- ‘drunk cases’ the first day. I went to gree from the Uni- son, Mississippi. It was an honor court and I didn’t know what to do. I versity of San Fran- he never forgot. didn’t know how to get the guy out cisco. of jail . . . I went to court that morn- Allen enrolled at Alcorn College, an ing. Murphy was the judge . . . I said Jackson arrived to California around all black institution, but was ex- [speaking to the court in chambers] the start of World War II and be- pelled in 1936 when he and “I don’t know what the hell I’m do- gan to prepare himself to study law twenty-five others organized a ing. I got a client; he’s got a drunk by taking night classes in typing, strike to protest the school’s poor driving beef. I don’t suppose I should bookkeeping, shorthand, English treatment of its students. He spent go back home?” They laughed. and public speaking. In 1951, he the next year at Jackson College. took a job as a reptile handler at Allen developed great relationships the San Francisco Steinhart Allen worked briefly as a life in- with the criminal court judges. His Aquarium, a job that fit with his surance salesmen before joining reputation as an effective criminal studies at night. the army in 1941. At the time, defense lawyer grew with his experi- there were very few Blacks in the ence. “I had about seven cases of He resided in Berkeley with his wife service. This was before the Pearl murder,” Allen recalled. “Six of them and four children. Harbor attack inspired widespread walked out free.” enlistment. Allen made extra Hon. Maurcie H. Hardeman and money tutoring soldiers in his seg- In 1956, vandals burned a cross on Solomon Elihu Johnson were regated company, most of whom the lawn of his Oakland home on Sen- both admitted to the state bar in did not know how to read or write. eca Street. The neighborhood was June of 1955. predominantly white. Neighbors be- Like many, Allen found his way to lieved that the culprits were some kids Hardeman, the first African-Ameri- the Bay Area after WWII. In 1947, having “fun.” Allen didn’t get excited can municipal court judge in Santa shortly after arriving to Oakland, over it. He had grown up hearing Clara County, returned from WWII he campaigned for a seat on the the word “nigger.” He had even and attended law school at Alameda County Board of Super- watched the corpse of a lynched black Hastings. Upon graduation, he visors. Though he was not elected, man being dragged down the road of worked for John Bussey and later he would run for office several his hometown. Said Allen of the became an associate at the Filmore more times, twice as the candidate District office of Terry Francois and

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Law Club Page 28

Willie L. Brown Jr. The three From 1955 to 1974, Attorney IS COACHING FOR YOU sought to expand their practice by Sweeney remained in private prac- OR YOUR LAW FIRM? setting up another office in San tice handling a diverse array of By Tamara Wiggins Steele, Esq. Jose. However, Francois and cases. He first worked with crimi- Brown had political aspirations nal trial lawyer Clint White. There- Coaching is becoming one of the that required their presence in San after, he became a partner in the leading tools that successful Francisco. In 1957, Hardeman firm of Wilson, Metoyer, & people use to live extraordinary agreed to test the waters in Santa Sweeney. The firm later included lives. Athletes have known for Clara County by agreeing to start Allen Broussard as a partner. years that in order to stay at the the new office. He began com- top of their game they need a muting from San Francisco. Even- Sweeney was elected Berkeley City coach. A life coach forms a tually, he built his own practice in Councilman from 1961 to 1974. He relationship with an individual, San Jose. For a period of time he served as vice mayor of the city working with them to make lasting worked with Wester “Wes” Sweet, from 1967 to 1974. changes in their life - whether it another black pioneer lawyer in involves their career, finances, San Jose. (Wes later worked with On November 15, 1974, Governor relationship or health. A coach his brother Clifford Sweet). Ronald Reagan appointed him to skillfully identifies things that they the Municipal Court of the Berke- cannot see, and encourages and Judge Hardeman married Vatchye ley-Albany Judicial District of challenges them to be more than Hardeman in 1956. They had two Alameda County. He was elected what they can imagine. children, Maurice Jr. and Anne- to that same seat in 1978, but was Maria. elevated by Governor Jerry Brown Often times, people are faced with in 1979 to the superior court. He internal challenges that fall within Hon. Wilmont Sweeney was elected to superior court in one of the following categories: 1) (1925 - 1999) 1980 and reelected six years later. Inability to make and/or keep The Honorable Wilmont Sweeney commitments; 2) Lack of follow- served as Superior Court Judge in Judge Sweeney retired from judi- through; 3) Inability to set and/or Alameda County for seventeen cial office on May 31, 1996. Judge achieve goals; 4) Paralysis due to years. He was Martin Jenkins acknowledged of his fear; and/or 5) Low self-esteem . presiding judge of friend that “Judge Sweeney liter- the Juvenile Divi- ally dedicated his life to the task These challenges, if not properly sion for the ma- of improving the lives of our youth addressed, hinder one’sl growth. jority of those through innovative programming. A skillful coach will encourage, years. Alameda County is particularly challenge and hold one blessed to have had, for fifteen accountable to being true to He was born in years, a judge who is recognized themselves. Coaches are not Austin, Texas in 1925. During across this country as a pioneer in therapists or psychologists. They WWII he served in the army as a the area of juvenile justice and a deal only with the present and sergeant. Sweeney then enrolled man who cared so deeply about guide individuals from where they at the University of California children.” currently are to where they want where he received his under- to be. graduate degree in political sci- Judge Sweeney passed away on ence in 1950. Saturday, April 24, 1999, in Coaching is not for everyone, only Oakland, CA. those who are committed to Sweeney earned his law degree making a positive change in their in 1955 from Hastings. There, his life. high grades kept him in the top quarter of his class each semes- Tamara Wiggins Steele, Esq. ter. For his 2L and 3L years, he is CEO and founder of New won scholarships. Sweeney re- Heights Company, an executive ceived moot court awards and and life coaching company in the was also the Note and Comment city of Oakland, California. Editor of the Hastings Law Jour- www.NewHeightsCompany.com nal (1954 to 1955). After pass- ing the bar exam, he was sworn- in on December 21st.

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 Page 29 Law Club

Founders & Past Presidents Reception Thanks for your support! On Thursday, June 23, as part of the organization’s Fiftieth Anni- The Hon. Gail Bereola (Past President), versary events, the Charles Houston Bar Association honored its Congresswoman ; Super- Founders and Past Presidents at a special reception held at visor Keith Carson; Fred Jordon; John Maxwell’s in downtown Oakland. L. Burris (Past President); Simona Farrise; Robert L. Harris (Past Presi- On display at the event were CHBA albums and memorabilia dent); Demetrius Shelton (Past Presi- depicting the association’s history through photos and documents. dent); Rozenia Cummings (Past Presi- An official proclamation from the Alameda County Board of Super- dent); Paul Henderson; Carl Hackney; visors declaring April 22, 2005 “Charles Houston Bar Association Regina Maloof; Fidel and Chonda Day” was also available for inspection. April 22 is the anniversary Nwamu; Pacific Gas & Electric; Bank of Charles Hamilton Houston’s death. of America; California.Com; Maxwell’s (Oakland); Alameda County Bar Asso- President Jennifer Madden led the program with remarks celebrat- ciation; California Association of Black ing CHBA’s history and reciting the names of our esteemed law Lawyers; The Wiley Manual Law Foun- club founders. Charles Smiley, our newsletter editor, spoke briefly dation; The Boy & Girls Club of Oak- about some research he has conducted on the founders that is land; The San Francisco 49ers; Reed featured in this newsletter. Smith LLP; Kazan, McClain, Edises, Abrams, Fernandezx, Lyons & Farrise; Vice President Kimberlei Evans recited the names of CHBA’s past Duane Morris LLP; Orrick Herrington & presidents and presented those present with a certificate from Sutcliffe; Thelen Reid & Priest LLP; Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s office praising their service and Hanson Bridgett Marcus Vlahos & Rudy leadership. Past President Robert L. Harris addressed attendees LLP; Taylor & Goins LLP; For contribu- about CHBA’s transformation from a little known law club into a tions to CHBA history: Rick Platz, Esq.; nationally recognized bar association. Speaking from his own Estella Dooley, Esq.; Hon. Willie L. experience, he recalled the push in the mid-1970s to increase Brown, Jr.; Carl B. Metoyer, Esq.; membership and gain public visibility by taking a stand on the Marion Francois; Joseph Williams, Esq.; critical legal issues of the day. Harris reserved special praise for Vatchye Hardeman; Elberta Erikson; the Honorable Benjamin Travis, a past president and principle Howard Abels; Gail Berkley; Hon. Gor- architect of the modern Charles Houston Bar Association. don Baranco; Hon. Benjamin Travis; Hon. Elihu Harris; Alli Latimer, Esq.; Attorney Hiawatha Roberts, a law club founder, and Warren Charles Smiley, Esq.; The Oakland Pub- Wilson, Esq. (brother of founder Lionel Wilson and respected local lic Library; The African American Mu- attorney in his own right) also spoke during the program. Roberts, seum and Library at Oakland; U.C. who received a legal pioneer award last year from the Wiley Hastings Law Library; For support with Manuel Law Foundation, talked about the early days and reminded the Run Walk for Justice: Kimball’s attendees of the importance of the Charles Houston Bar as a East; Pampered Man/Pampered vehicle to influence positive change in society at large. The event Woman; Oakland Black Firefighters was a distinguished tribute to those who have made CHBA what it Assn.; GymMasters; Soothin Creations; is today. The reception hinted of an incredible Gala Dinner this Stepping Out The Urban Shoe Spa; December. Shades of Sienna; Next Level Fitness Center; The City of Oakland; Ancilla, Inc.; Atlas Financial Services; Big Print- ing T-Shirt; Ekklesia Printing; and Red Cloud Inc.

CHBA Life Members: Simona Farisse, Esq. Hon. Trina Thompson Stanley Byron Cooper, Esq. Gordon Greenwood, Esq. Robert L. Harris, Esq.

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African Americans and the 4 Cal. 399 which construed the stat- the Fifteenth Amendment that Law in Early California ute as an attempt to “throw around conferred upon Blacks the right the citizen a protection for life and to vote (1870). Plessy v. property, which could only be secured African-Americans, perhaps more Ferguson (1896), however, lim- by removing him above the corrupt- than any other race of American ited the citizenship rights of ing influences of degraded castes,” people, have endured a peculiar re- Blacks under the Fourteenth such as the Negro, Indian, and – as lationship with the law. Enslaved Amendment by establishing the Hall held – the Chinese. (Id. at p. under the original United States legal doctrine of “separate but 403.) The court continued: “The Constitution, excluded from citizen- equal,” an edict that gave rise same rule which would admit them ship by Dred Scott v. Sanford to over half a century of Ameri- to testify, would admit them to all the (1857), promised participation by can apartheid, only overruled in equal rights of citizenship, and we the Emancipation Proclamation and 1954 by Brown v. Board of Edu- might soon see them at the polls, in three constitutional amendments, cation. the jury box, upon the bench, and in but then kept at arm’s length by our legislative halls.” (Id. at p. 404.) Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), the his- Against this strong current of le- Such events, Chief Justice Murray tory of American law is disturbingly galized discrimination, men and concluded, posed “an actual and preoccupied with the control of Af- women of African descent in present danger.” rican-Americans. California sought legal training and admission into a profession When a harsh fugitive-slave law fol- Our own state of California shares that did not hide its unwilling- lowed two years later, “no free black this history. When California joined ness to embrace them. Hugh person was really safe in California. the Union in 1850, slavery was for- Macbeth, the 1927 President of He might be claimed as a fugitive bidden, not because of the the Blackstone Club (a forerun- slave and thus be liable for removal institution’s immorality, but be- ner to Los Angeles’ Langston Bar by a former master if he could not cause its was an expedient politi- Association) led successful ef- prove with a legal document that he cal move to encourage Washing- forts to advocate the inclusion was in fact a free man.” (Heizer & ton D.C.’s ratification of its state- of black lawyers in the State Bar Almquist, The Other Californians, hood. Popular sentiment also dis- of California, which was then be- Univ. of California Press 1971.) In favored the idea of Blacks working ing re-created by the state leg- 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court told in the rich Sierra gold mines. The islature as a state entity under Dred Scott he could not sue for his first state governor, P.H. Burnett, court jurisdiction. Nationally, it freedom. He was not a person, but is said to have called for a law ex- would be another sixteen years property. cluding even free Negroes to halt before the American Bar Asso- the westward migration of more ciation would open its doors to In 1860, Alameda County was one of black settlers. The early Califor- black lawyers. the few California counties to support nia government, however, did not republican Abraham Lincoln for Presi- exclude free Blacks. Instead, the It is no wonder, then, that groups dent. Historian Howard Zinn reports it enacted statutes meant, in large like the Charles Houston Law of Lincoln’s presidental campaign part, to construct a California that Club emerged throughout the theme: “He opposed slavery, but would be inhospitable, hence un- country. Black attorneys orga- could not see blacks as equals, so a attractive, to African-Americans. nized both as a tactical response constant theme in his approach was These laws denied African-Ameri- to the prevailing hostile social to free the slaves and to send them cans the right to receive a public climate and as a proactive effort back to Africa.” After Lincoln’s elec- education, homestead public lands, to diversify the future of the pro- tion, several southern states seceded or vote. fession. As CHBA celebrates its and a bloody civil war followed. On 50th anniversary, we do well to January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the In 1850, the new state Legislature remember our history, to be Emancipation Proclamation. also enacted section 394 of the Civil thankful for those who came Practice Act, a statute providing before us, and ponder our duty The federal Constitution was that no Black, mulatto person or to the future. amended by adding the Thirteenth Indian would be permitted to give Amendment that abolished slavery evidence in any action to which a (ratified in 1865), the Fourteenth white person was a party. The leg- Amendment which, among many islative intent behind this law was other things, recognized the citizen- explained in People v. Hall (1854) ship of African Americans (1868), and

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 Page 31 Feature

Spotlight: Estella W. Dooley, Esq. colleague Cecil Poole, a United States Attorney and future Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Justice. Other Law Club Executive Board Member (1963) members of the club during those years were John Stewart, Joe Williams, and John Dearman (who is Estella Dooley is among the first African-American now on the San Francisco Superior Court). women admitted to practice law in California. She was member of the Charles Houston Law Club and Ms. Dooley was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1921. served as its Secretary in 1963. “Being part of the Her father, the son of an African American mariner Law Club was relaxing. It was refreshing to be among who owned tugboats on Baltimore’s harbor, was a people who were, of course, concerned with making politician. a living, but who were even more concerned with doing something for the community.” Ms. Dooley, Dooley’s undergraduate studies were completed at age 83, presently resides in San Francisco. Howard University where she studied under prominent professors. She enrolled at the age of 16 Attorney Dooley graduated from Loyola Law School on a scholarship from the University of Maryland. in 1958, joined the Langston Bar Association, and Professor E. Franklin Frazier taught her sociology. started practicing in the Los Angeles area. Her solo She was a student in the last political science class practice was profitable. Other black women practicing taught by Ralph Bunche. She studied philosophy at the time included Martha Jefferson Louis (who had from Allain Locke, who despite his brilliance, put the once been married to Bernard Jefferson and later young Dooley to sleep with his lectures. During this remarried to famous boxer Joe Louis), Lucy time, she socialized with people such as poet Sterling Washington, Arleigh Maddox Woods, Vaino Spencer Brown, jurist William Hastie, and Dr. Charles Drew. (who became the first Black Woman judge in Los Angeles), and Yvonne Braithwaite (who became a Dooley acquired a strong academic background in congressional representative). science at Howard but later put her talent as a writer to use. She had worked in New York City writing Her classmate from Howard Law School, Richard publicity for Russian War Relief (Russia was a U.S. Bancroft, was working in Oakland. He recommended ally at the time). Dooley left that job to accept Dooley to the partners of the Oakland firm of Edises employment as a research mathematician with the Truehaft Grossman & Groghan and they hired her. U.S. government’s Math Tables Project in Manhattan. Before her arrival, the firm was comprised entirely of This was a small office of 25 employees, most of white men. Being the only woman and only African- whom had advanced degrees in mathematics. After American there did not present difficulties. “I grew the war, she belatedly discovered that they had been up in a segregated society in a well to do family; I doing research for the Manhattan Project. Dooley never grew up with any sense of inferiority.” remained with the Project until she learned that the Red Cross was recruiting staff assistants. She was Back then, black lawyers in Northern California were sent to the South Pacific with the Red Cross and, few and they were concentrated in the East Bay. while there, did some side reporting for the Statewide, she remembered there being “a few black Associated Black Press, unofficially. lawyers in Sacramento, and a few starving in San Francisco, but for the most part, the largest Today, Ms. Dooley travels extensively and has visited concentration of Black lawyers [in California] was in most parts of the United States. She continues to Los Angeles.” devote her energy to young people, particularly young black men whom she feels are particularly In 1966, she joined the ranks of the San Francisco susceptible to being pushed to “drop out mentally” Public Defender’s office where Law Club member Fred from community participation. “We have a Smith worked. In so doing, Ms. Dooley became the responsibility to the community,” she explains. first black woman deputy public defender in the state. Owning up to this responsibility, Ms. Dooley She was certainly the first in San Francisco and informally tutors black men, teaching them to read. remained in that office until her retirement in 1992.

Reminiscing on her activities with the Charles Houston Law Club, Ms. Dooley fondly remembers the club as a refuge where she could discuss difficult cases, talk about unpleasant judges, and share her own ideas. Her public defender sensibilities didn’t always see eye- to-eye with her friend, neighbor and Law Club

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Page 32 Members and News

2004: The national legal community recognized the efforts of the Charles Houston Bar Association. At the 2004 National Bar Association Convention, CHBA earned the NBA’s 2004 Outstanding Affiliate Award! We thank our membership, law firm and corporate supporters for making 2004 so successful! June 9, 2004: Members meet at the The Rex in Oakland for a happy hour mixer; June 29: CHBA provide free community legal advice on Landlord/Tenant issues at the Master Seal Baptist Church, Oakland; July 9: Members support the Boys & Girls Club of Oakland at its Dedication and Grand Opening of its new Anna Marie Whalen Clubhouse; July 30: Members gather at the home of Past President John L. Burris for the annual Membership Appreciation BBQ; NBA Convention in August: CHBA officers and members attend NBA Convention in Charlotte, NC. President Vernon Goins accepts the NBA’s 2004 Outstanding Affiliate Award on behalf of CHBA. Sept. 7: Assisted by volunteer lawyers from CHBA, the Wiley Manuel Law Founda- tion held its 20th Annual Benjamin Travis Moot Court Competition; CHBA supports the Election Protection Coalition to encourage participation in registering new voters and protecting the right to vote on election day. Sept. 18: CHBA supports NBLSA’s annual Northern California Job Fair held at USF. Sept. 23: Hosted by the Hon. Thelton Henderson, CHBA holds a well-attended reception for Christopher Edley, Jr., new Dean of Boalt Hall. Oct. 2: California Women Lawyers, in conjunction with CHBA, conducts the popular “SO, YOU WANT TO BE A JUDGE?” seminar, featuring John Davies, Judicial Appointments Advisor to Gov. Schwarzenegger (program chair, Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte); Oct. 14: General Membership Meeting at Milano Ristorante features presentations by Cal Stanley, Exec. Dir. of the Boys and Girls Club of Oakland and by Bank of America; Nov. 18: CHBA Election Meeting at Taylor & Goins LLP. Jennifer Madden elected Golden Anniversary president. Ms. Madden is a Boalt Hall grad who works in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office; Nov. 30: CHBA’s College Awareness Advisory Program spend the day with teens at Castlemont High School to discuss pursuing a college education; Dec. 3: CHBA lawyers participate in Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s “State of the African American Male: A closer look at former felons and challenges they face re-entering the community,” a free, one-day conference at Laney College; Dec. 4: At the CHBA Gala Dinner Dance, Past President Vernon Goins receives a well-deserved standing ovation from appreciative attendees. 2005 GOLDEN ANNIVER- SARY YEAR Jan. 7: Ray Marshall and his firm Bingham McCutchen present a lecture by Prof. Charles J. Ogletree who discussed the impact of anticipated vacancies on the U.S. Supreme Court. Afterwards, the professor gave away free copies of his book All Deliberate Speed: Reflections on the First Half-Century of Brown v. Board of Education; Jan. 20: CHBA participates at New College School of Law BLSA’s presentation entitled African American Leadership in Law; CHBA lawyers join members of the Bay Area’s various African American professional organizations at the annual Connect the Dots Mixer in San Francisco; February: CHBA board members use this month to reach out to youth, speaking at various “Law Day” events to educate high school students from Castlemont, McClymonds, Skyline, Balboa, Golden Gate Elementary and the Donald P. McCullum Youth Court; CHBA members attend a presentation at the Commonweatlth Club by Wade Henderson who shared his views on the direction of the United States Supreme Court; Feb. 26: Annual Soulfood Potluck at the home of Carl Hackney brings over 90 members, friends, and family together for great food, music and fun; Feb. 28: Hastings BLSA hosts a symposium entitled, Revisiting Proposition 209: A case for Affirmative Action in Higher Education with keynote speaker Dean Christopher Edley. March 2: Executive Bd. Members visit Golden Gate Law School to attend BLSA meeting; March 5: Members participate in the Alameda Contra Costa Links Inc. Youth Symposium. Attorney John Burris spoke on “Teen Law.” At another workshop, Judge Evelio Grillo (Alameda Countty), along with President Madden and Charles Smiley, conducted two demonstration mock trials where teens participated; that same day, in San Francisco, Hastings BLSA opened its doors to teach minority youth about the law school experience. Apr. 2: Judge Gordon Baranco and other CHBA lawyers volunteered at Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s Alameda County Criminal Record Expungement Summit, co-organized by Tirien Steinbach and the lawyers of the East Bay Community Law Center. The all-day event provided information and free lawyer consultations to the public explaining how to clear up one’s record to enhance employment opportunities; Apr. 2: CHBA sponsored a track and field event at the Oakland Invitational Relays, an annual sports competition among Oakland High Schools; April 29: Ten past presidents of CHBA and current board members fly to Los Angeles to support the installation of Demetrius Shelton as President of the California Association of Black Lawyers; May 21: Past President Vernon Goins gives keynote address Hastings BLSA graduation ceremony; Organized by Kwixuan Maloof, CHBA teams up with St. Paul’s Church to provide food and clothing to the needy. June 15: Happy Hour at Luka’s in Oakland; June 23: A special reception honoring CHBA’s Founders and Past Presidents was held at Maxwell’s in Oak- land; June 25: CHBA holds its first 5k Run/Walk fundraiser around Lake Merritt. In memoriam. CHBA mourns the loss of the following beloved friends and colleagues: the Hon. Claudette Brooks-Cooper (Alameda County), Patricia Mills-Ndlela (founding member of BWL Northern California), the Hon. Richard A. Bancroft (a Charles Houston Law Club founder), longtime beloved member Jerry Curtis, Esq., Johnnie Cochran, Esq., and Judge Hugh W. Goodwin, the first African-American lawyer in Fresno County (1952) and the first black judge in that county (appointed in 1976).

CHARLES HOUSTON BAR 1955 - 2005 the Charlesto congratulatewould HoustonWest like now Barin its Association, 50th year. Or you Use your dart board to Create your own forms. evaluate potential damages. can use Westlaw® Litigator. Run to the courthouse every Ignore the 500,000 Great news for California attorneys! time you need a docket. expert-authored briefs Westlaw Litigator puts even more available online and timesaving resources right on your search manually. desktop. Access the largest online Good luck. collection of criminal records, briefs, Surf a bunch of Internet and jury verdicts – plus new sites to track down personal WestDockets™ – all from a and criminal information. Totally your choice. single location.

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Every few days, new court decisions affecting California attorney conduct are filed I summarize these cases on the What’s New page at www.FishkinLaw.com

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Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence Contact us at: Upcoming Events:

The Charles Houston Bar Association August PO Box 1474 4 - 7 ABA Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois Oakland, CA 94602 Visit us on-line at: September www.charleshoustonbar.org 8 - 11 State Bar of California Annual Meeting, San Deigo 17 Student Resume & Interviewing Workshop Taylor & Goins LLP, Oakland, CA 8:30 - 12:00pm 30 Annual “Jurists at Sea” Cruise

October Applications become available for CHBA Student Scholarships

November CHBA Scholarship applications deadline

December 3 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner! Oakland Airport Hilton

Charles Houston Bar Association PLACE PO Box 1474 STAMP HERE Oakland, CA 94604