Damon Keith
Damon Keith | |
---|---|
Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | |
In office May 1, 1995 – April 28, 2019 | |
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | |
In office October 21, 1977 – May 1, 1995 | |
Appointed by | Jimmy Carter |
Preceded by | Wade H. McCree |
Succeeded by | Richard Allen Griffin |
Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan | |
In office December 13, 1975 – November 22, 1977 | |
Preceded by | Frederick William Kaess |
Succeeded by | Cornelia Groefsema Kennedy |
Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan | |
In office October 12, 1967 – November 22, 1977 | |
Appointed by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
Preceded by | Thomas Patrick Thornton |
Succeeded by | Patricia Boyle |
Personal details | |
Born | Damon Jerome Keith July 4, 1922 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
Died | April 28, 2019 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | (aged 96)
Education | West Virginia State University (BA) Howard University (LLB) Wayne State University (LLM) |
Damon Jerome Keith (July 4, 1922 – April 28, 2019) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and a former United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. Keith died in office at age 96.
Education and career
Keith was born and grew up in
Personal
Keith married Rachel Boone in 1953 and they had three daughters.[2] Rachel died on January 4, 2007. Keith died on April 28, 2019, at his home in Detroit, at the age of 96.[3] The cause was complications from leukemia and cardiovascular disease.[4]
Federal judicial service
At the suggestion of
Keith was nominated by President Jimmy Carter on September 28, 1977, to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit vacated by Judge Wade H. McCree. He was confirmed by the Senate on October 20, 1977, and received his commission on October 21, 1977. He was a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States from 1975 to 1978. He assumed senior status on May 1, 1995.[5][1]
Memberships and honors
In 1974, Keith was awarded the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP.[6] Keith is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.[7] In 2008, Keith received an honorary doctorate in law (Legum Doctor) from Harvard University.[8]
Notable cases
In United States v. Sinclair (1971), Keith famously ruled that
In
Prominent clerks
Keith has been called a father-figure to former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm, who previously clerked for him. He administered the oath of office to her in both 2003 and 2007.[13] Former law clerks also include:
- Lani Guinier, the first African-American woman to gain tenure at Harvard Law School[14][15]
- Judge Eric L. Clay, who later served with Judge Keith on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit[5]
- District of Columbia[16]
- David C. Simmons, the current Chief Administrative Law Judge of the District of Columbia Commission on Human Rights, professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center, and former Athletic Director of Howard University[17]
- Rashad Hussain, Deputy Associate Counsel to President Barack Obama, and the U.S. representative to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference[19]
- Jocelyn Benson, Michigan Secretary of State and former dean of Wayne State University Law School[20]
- Daniel Abebe, Deputy Dean of the University of Chicago Law School and professor of law.[21]
- Jonathan J. C. Grey, judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan[22]
Legacy
Keith donated his personal papers to the Walter P. Reuther Library in 1994. The materials come from milestones in his career, including his precedent-setting judicial decisions, his commitment to equality for all in the American justice system, and the many forms of recognition he received for his dedication to civil rights and Detroit.[2]
His estate made a $100,000 bequest to a scholarship fund in his name at West Virginia State University.[23]
"Walk with Me: The Trials of Damon J. Keith," directed by Jesse Nesser, tells the story of Keith's life. It made its world premiere at Michael Moore's Traverse City Film Festival in 2016.[24]
See also
- List of African-American federal judges
- List of African-American jurists
- List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Michigan
- List of United States federal judges by longevity of service
References
- ^ a b c Damon Jerome Keith at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
- ^ a b c "Damon J. Keith Collection" (PDF). Wayne State University. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 18, 2010. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
- ^ "Judge Damon J. Keith dies at age 96". WXYZ. April 28, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2019.
- ^ "Damon J. Keith, Trailblazing Black Jurist Who Upheld Civil Rights, Dies at 96". The Washington Post. April 30, 2019.
- ^ a b "Fighters for Justice: Damon J. Keith". Archived from the original on July 8, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
- ^ NAACP Spingarn Medal Archived 2014-08-02 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Alpha Phi Alpha Politicians". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
- ^ "Summary Biography The Honorable Damon J. Keith". Archived from the original on July 15, 2009. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
- ^ "The Uninvited Ear". State Bar of Michigan. Archived from the original on August 22, 2010. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
- ^ CASE NOTE: Detroit Free Press v. Ashcroft and North Jersey Media Group v. Ashcroft: Enduring Freedom: Can Post-September Eleventh Closure of "Special Interest" Deportation Hearings Withstand First Amendment Scrutiny? Arkansas Law Review
- ^ "FindLaw's United States Sixth Circuit case and opinions". Findlaw.
- ^ "Detroit Free Press v. Ashcroft (PDF)" (PDF).
- ^ "Judge Damon J. Keith swears in Michigan's first woman governor". Jet. Johnson. January 20, 2003. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
- ^ "Damon J. Keith Bibliography". Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
- ^ Bronner, Ethan (January 24, 1998). "Lani Guinier Joins Faculty of Law School at Harvard". The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
- ^ "Biography of U.S. Attorney, United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia". Archived from the original on January 2, 2011. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
- ^ "David C. Simmons Faculty Profile". Retrieved March 20, 2015.
- ^ "National Civil Rights Activist, Attorney and NPR Commentator to Speak in Detroit, Oct. 23". Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
- National Archives.
- ^ University, Wayne State. "Wayne Law - Wayne State University". www.law.wayne.edu. Archived from the original on July 2, 2010. Retrieved November 18, 2010.
- ^ "Daniel Abebe | University of Chicago Law School". www.law.uchicago.edu. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
- ^ "Judge Jonathan J.C. Grey". Retrieved April 2, 2023.
- ^ "Estate of prominent federal judge leaves $100,000 to school". Star Tribune. December 18, 2019. Archived from the original on January 2, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
- ^ "Women directors fill key U.S. categories at Traverse City film fest".
External links
- Damon Jerome Keith at the Biographical Directory of Federal Judges, a publication of the Federal Judicial Center.
- Damon Keith Papers at the Walter P. Reuther Library
- Detroit Free Press v. Ashcroft
- Keith biography
- 2003 Rep. Conyers speech praising Keith
- Judge Damon J. Keith to Inaugurate University of Richmond Law School's Judges in Residency Program
- Appearances on C-SPAN