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Title: Damon J. Keith Collection Genre: Papers Dates: 1948-2001 (Predominantly, 1960's-1980's) Size: 10 linear feet ID #: 1582 OCLC: |
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HEFA.02.update
The papers of Damon J. Keith were placed in the Archives of Labor and Urban Affairs by Judge Keith in March of 1994 and opened for research in August of 2002.
Damon Jerome Keith was born on July 4, 1922 in Detroit, Michigan, shortly after his father, Perry Alexander Keith, moved his wife, Annie Louise (Williams) Keith, and their five children from Atlanta, Georgia to take a foundry job at Ford Motor Company's Rouge plant.
After graduating from Detroit's Northwestern High School in 1939, Damon Keith became the first member of his family to attend college, earning a bachelor's degree from West Virginia State College, one of the nation's historically black schools, in 1943. He served three years in the U. S. Army and then, following the advice of his mentor, West Virginia State president, John W. Davis, enrolled in Howard University Law School, where Thurgood Marshall and others were planning the legal strategy for the civil rights battles of the 1950's. He received his LL.B. in 1949 and an LL.M. in labor law from Wayne State University in Detroit in 1956.
Keith spent the early years of his career with the black Detroit law firm of Loomis, Jones, Piper & Colden and on the staff of the Wayne County Friend of the Court. He was one of six Detroit attorneys invited to the White House in 1963 by then President John F. Kennedy to discuss the role of lawyers in the civil rights struggle. In 1964 he and four other black attorneys formed Keith, Conyers, Anderson, Brown & Wahls, setting up shop in what had previously been the all-white legal district of downtown Detroit. During this period he also served as chair of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission and president of the Detroit Housing Commission. In 1967 President Lyndon Johnson, upon the recommendation of Michigan Senator Philip Hart, appointed him to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, only the second African American to sit on that court.
Judge Keith served on the district court from 1967 until 1977, becoming chief judge in 1975. During his tenure, he delivered several landmark rulings in civil rights and civil liberties cases: on school desegregation in Davis v. School District of the City of Pontiac (1970); on employment discrimination and affirmative action in Stamps v. Detroit Edison Co. (1973) and Baker v. City of Detroit (1979); and on housing discrimination in Garrett v. City of Hamtramck (1971) and Zuch v. Hussey (1975). But he is most frequently cited for his opinion in U.S. v. Sinclair (1971), dubbed the "Keith decision," which found wiretap surveillance in domestic security cases unconstitutional, absent a court order, a decision unanimously upheld by the United States Supreme Court.
In 1977 President Jimmy Carter appointed Judge Keith to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit where he has served for the past twenty-five years, taking senior status in 1995. In the 1980's he served as chair of the Sixth Circuit and Judicial Conference committees commemorating the Bicentennial of the Constitution.
Over the course of his long career, Judge Keith has played an active role in a number of civic, cultural and educational organizations, including the Detroit YMCA, the Detroit Arts Commission, the Detroit Cotillion Club and Interlochen Arts Academy, and has been a tireless fundraiser for the United Negro College Fund and the Detroit NAACP. In addition, he serves as a deacon of the Tabernacle Baptist Church.
Judge Keith is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the NAACP's highest award, the Springarn Medal, in 1974, the American Bar Association's Thurgood Marshall Award in 1997, the prestigious Edward J. Devitt Award for Distinguished Service to Justice in 1998 and honorary degrees from Yale University, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan, Tuskegee University and over thirty other institutions. The Detroit Board of Education has named an elementary and middle school in his honor.
In 1993, the Wayne State University Law School established the Damon J. Keith Law Collection of African American Legal History. It is distinct from but connected to the papers that are referenced in this finding aid. For more information on this effort, go to http://keithcollection.wayne.edu/.
Damon Keith married Dr. Rachel Boone, an internist, in 1953. They have three daughters: Cecile Keith-Brown, Debbie and Gilda.
The first installment of the papers of Damon J. Keith consists primarily of published material documenting important milestones in Judge Keith's career, his precedent-setting judicial decisions and the many honors and awards bestowed upon him for his dedication to the city of Detroit and his pioneering role in ensuring equal justice for all Americans.
Affirmative action programs--Law and legislation--Michigan--Detroit
African American judges
African American law students
African American lawyers
Baker v. City of Detroit
Busing for school integration--Michigan--Pontiac
Davis, et al. v. School District of the City of Pontiac (Michigan)
Detroit (Mich.). Police Dept.
Discrimination in employment--Michigan--Detroit
Discrimination in housing--Michigan
Electronic surveillance--Social aspects--United States
Garrett v. City of Hamtramck
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Detroit Branch
Irene McCabe
National Action Group (NAG)
Police, Black
United States. Circuit Court (6th Circuit)
United States. District Court (Michigan: Eastern District)
United States v. Sinclair
Wayne State University Law School
Coleman A. Young
Zuch v. Hussey
Warren Burger
John Warren Davis
George C. Edwards, Jr.
William T. Gossett
Myles Lynk
Charles Renfrew
Several photographs, a few videotapes, including a history of the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association, and other items of memorabilia received with the collection have been placed in the Archives Audiovisual Department.
Detroit Commission on Community Relations/Human Rights Department Part 3
20 manuscript boxes
Series I, Personal Files, 1946-1991, Boxes 1-5:
Correspondence, media references to Judge Keith and his family and material related to honorary degrees and other awards he received and to civic, cultural and educational institutions and activities with which he was associated, especially the annual Detroit NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner.
Series II, Speaking Engagements/Publications, 1953-1991, Boxes 5-7:
Files related to Judge Keith's public appearances, including texts of speeches, and to published book reviews, newspaper articles and speeches.
Series III, Professional Files, 1967-1987, Boxes 7-16:
Files related to Judge Keith's judicial career, including significant cases he handled and his work for various professional associations.
To Series III
Series IV, Subject Files, 1948-2001, Boxes 16-20:
Papers, reports, newspaper clippings, magazine articles and other publications on a variety of topics and individuals of interest to Judge Keith.
To Series IV
[Box 1] [Box 2] [Box 3] [Box 4] [Box 5] [Box 6] [Box 7] [Box 8] [Box 9] [Box 10] [Box 11] |
[Box 12] [Box 13] [Box 14] [Box 15] [Box 16] [Box 17] [Box 18] [Box 19] [Box 20] |
Personal Files, 1946-1991
Boxes 1-5
1. Alpha Phi Alpha; clippings, 1970's
2. Biographical data
3. Co-Ette Club-Detroit Chapter, 1982-83
4. Correspondence, n.d., 1960's
5-8. Correspondence, 1970-85
9. Correspondence; John W. Davis, 1946-80
10. Correspondence; William T. Gossett, 1969-1980's
11. Correspondence; Robert L. Green, 1974-85
12. Correspondence; Myles Lynk, 1979-90
13. Correspondence; James Quello, 1974, 1981
14. Correspondence; Charles Renfrew, 1978-81
15. Correspondence; John Voelker, 1961, 1991
16. Correspondence; Myron Wahls, 1977, 1984
17. Cotillion Club; clippings, 1951-83
18. Damon J. Keith Elementary and Middle Schools; clippings,
corres., programs, 1970's-1980's
1. Detroit Bicentennial Commission, 1975-76
2. Detroit Institute of Arts/Arts Commission, 1973-84
3. Detroit Symphony Orchestra; clippings, 1982-89
4-7. Graves, Irene, honorary degree for; supporting documents, 1982
8. Honorary degrees; Atlanta University, 1975
9. Honorary degrees; Central State University, 1980
10. Honorary degrees; Howard University, 1974
11. Honorary degrees; Lincoln University, 1975
12. Honorary degrees; Loyola Law School, 1981
13. Honorary degrees; Marygrove College, 1980
14. Honorary degrees; miscellaneous, 1972-83
15. Honorary degrees; University of Michigan, 1974
16. Honorary degrees; Virginia Union University, 1983
1. Honorary degrees; Wayne State University, 1973
2. Honorary degrees; Yale University, 1981
3. Honors and awards; ACLU of Michigan, 1973
4. Honors and awards; Budweiser's Living Legend, 1983
5. Honors and awards; Damon J. Keith Civic and Humanitarian
Award, 1984-86
6. Honors and awards; Detroit Urban League Equal Opportunity
Award, 1975
7. Honors and awards; EEOC Detroit District Office, 1980
8. Honors and awards; Greater Detroit Roundtable National
Human Relations Award, 1984
9. Honors and awards; Menorah Award, 1988
10. Honors and awards; Michigan State University Distinguished
Citizen Award, 1974
11. Honors and awards; miscellaneous, n.d., 1971-88
12. Honors and awards; Mt. Airy Baptist Church Men's Day, 1978
13. Honors and awards; National Association of Black Journalists
Detroit Chapter, 1982
14. Honors and awards; National Newspaper Publishers
Association Russwurm Award, 1974
15. Honors and awards; Phylon Society of Wayne State University,
1983
16. Honors and awards; Springarn Medal, 1974
17. Honors and awards; United Negro College Fund Women's
Committee, 1981
18. Honors and awards; Wilberforce University Distinguished
Service Award, 1972
19. Interlochen Arts Academy, 1976-85
20. Keith family; clippings, programs, miscellaneous,
1950's-1980's
21-22.Media profiles; magazine articles, clippings, n.d.,
1971-84
1. Media references; clippings, n.d.
2. Media references; clippings, 1950, 1960's
3-6. Media references; clippings, 1970-89
7-8. Media references; clippings scrapbook, 1961-81
9. NAACP, national; clippings, convention program, 1972-89
10 NAACP Detroit Branch; elections, 1984-86
11-13.NAACP Detroit Branch; Freedom Fund Dinner, 1968-77,
1979-80
1-5 NAACP Detroit Branch; Freedom Fund Dinner, 1983-91
6. Tabernacle Baptist Church; clippings, 1970's-1980's
7. United Negro College Fund; clippings, corres., programs,
1971-87
8. USSR visit; corres., report, 1976-83
9. Wayne State University Law School; minority recruitment,
1978-79
Speaking Engagements/Publications, 1953-1991
Boxes 5-7
Box 5
10. Administering oath of office, 1971-91
11. Administering oath of office; George Gullen, 1972
12. Article; "Anatomy of Racism," review of Hearts and Minds in
Michigan Law Review, Mar 1983
13. Article; "Blacks' faith will see them through," The Detroit Free
Press, 9 Aug 1985
14. Article; "Civil Liberties and Criminal Law," Crime and Justice
in America: Newspaper Articles for the Seventh Course by
Newspaper, 1977
1. Article; "Divorce," Budd Local 306 UAW-CIO News,
May 1953
2. Article; foreword to "Symposium on Equal Protection, the
Standards of Review," in University of Detroit Journal of Urban Law, Summer 1980
3. Article; "Law Can Be Used in Social Change," The Afro American, 1 May 1973
4. Article; "The meaning of 'Equal justice—under law,'" The Cincinnati Post 26 Apr 1978
5. Article; "'People vs. Kirk': Book Review," Michigan Bar Journal,
Dec 1982
6. Article; "Racial Equality Remains an Elusive Ideal," The Detroit News, 29 Apr 1990
7. Article; "Reflections After 32 Years," Judge William Henry
Hastie Lecture in Howard Law Journal, Vol. 25: No. 2, 1982
8. Article; "Should Colorblindness and Representativeness Be a
Part of American Justice?," Howard Law Journal, Vol. 26:
No. 1, 1983
9. Article; "Some threaten to turn back clock on progress," essay
reflecting on 1967 Detroit riot in The Detroit News, 20 Jul 1987
10. Article; "That 10-cent present was priceless," The Detroit Free Press, 25 Dec 1979
11. Moot court appearances, 1971-84
12-13.Speaking engagements, misc., 1966-92
14. Speech; Afro-American Museum of Detroit Thirteenth
Anniversary and Awards Dinner, 12 Mar 1978
15. Speech; "Becoming Involved," Loyola Law School
commencement (Los Angeles), 7 Jun 1981
16. Speech; Cass Technical High School commencement (Detroit),
19 Jun 1968
17. Speech; Federal Bar Association-Detroit Chapter luncheon
honoring the judges of the federal district court of Michigan,
27 Oct 1977
18. Speech; "Freedom and Human Destiny," Phylon Society of
Wayne State University (Detroit), 3 Oct 1981
19. Speech; Iacocca, Lee, introduction at Tribute to Prince Hall
Masonry (New York), 7 Oct 1976
20. Speech; "In Defense of Scholarship," University of Michigan
Honors Convocation, 31 Mar 1985
1. Speech; "Lawyers and Judges Confronting Fear in America in
the 1980's," University of Michigan Law School Senior Day,
7 Dec 1980
2. Speech; Marshall, Thurgood, introduction at Wiley Branton
investiture (Howard University Law School), 18 Nov 1978
3. Speech; Michigan Consolidated Gas Co. management group,
17 Mar 1971
4. Speech; "The Modern Role of Black Lawyers in America,"
Georgia Conference of Black Lawyers (Atlanta), 24 Sep 1977
5. Speech; "The Myth and Reality of Racial Progress: Why We
Must Keep On Keeping On," State of Minorities at Michigan Bell
Dinner, 2 Nov 1983
6. Speech; "Should Colorblindness and Representativeness Be a
Part of American Justice?," National Bar Association Judicial
Council Awards Luncheon, 29 Jul 1981
7. Speech; "Together We Can," Akron Roundtable, 19 Mar 1981
8. Speech (drafts); United Community Services of Metropolitan
Detroit, n.d.
9. Speech; United Presbyterian Church Synod of Michigan Annual
Meeting, 31 Jan 1966
10. Testimonial/memorial tributes; Ernest Goodman, 1980
11. Testimonial/memorial tributes; Lawrence Gubow, 1978
12. Testimonial/memorial tributes; George Gullen, 1978
13. Testimonial/memorial tributes; Paul Harbrecht, 1981
14. Testimonial/memorial tributes; Mordecai W. Johnson, 1976
15. Testimonial/memorial tributes; Rose Kleinman, 1977
16. Testimonial/memorial tributes; Robert Kutak, 1983
17. Testimonial/memorial tributes; miscellaneous, 1971-90
Professional Files, 1967-1987
Boxes 7-16
Box 7
18. ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar,
1977, 1981
19. Arraignment; notes, n.d.
20. Bicentennial of the U. S. Constitution, 1987
1. Economic Institute for Federal Judges, 1978-80
2. Ethnic Relations in America, American Assembly on; "Ethnic
Groups and the Legal System," 1981
3. Federal Bar Association, 1976-80
4. Federal Court Seminar for New Lawyers, 1976-77
5. Federal Judicial Center Conference for District Judges; reports, 1973-74
6-7. Federal Judges Association, 1981-84
8. Gray, Fred, and U. W. Clemon district court nominations, ABA
testimony on, 1980
1. Harvard Program of Instruction for Lawyers, 1980
2. Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Codes of
Conduct; corres., meeting materials, 1982
3. Judicial Conference Committee on the Code of Judicial
Conduct; judicial disqualification statute, 1977
4-6. Judicial salaries; corres., reports, 1975-83
1. Judicial salaries; corres., reports, 1984-85
2. Judicial salaries; letter to Lloyd Cutler, 1980-81
3. Keith, Damon, appointment to the federal bench, twentieth-
anniversary celebrations of; clippings, 1987
4-9. Seminar for Newly Appointed U. S. District Judges, 1973-79
1. Seminar for Newly Appointed U. S. District Judges, 1979
2-5. U. S. Appeals Court for the Sixth Circuit; appointment-
congratulatory correspondence, 1977
6. U. S. Appeals Court for the Sixth Circuit; appointment-Joint
Bar Luncheon honoring Damon Keith, Dec 1977
7. U. S. Appeals Court for the Sixth Circuit; calendar, 1978
8. U. S. Appeals Court for the Sixth Circuit; clippings, corres.,
reports, 1977-84
9. U. S. Appeals Court for the Sixth Circuit; decisions in cases
heard by Judge Keith, 1972, 1979-84
1. U. S. Appeals Court for the Sixth Circuit; Feikens, Judge,
misconduct charge in Vista case; clippings, 1983-86
2. U. S. Appeals Court for the Sixth Circuit; "100 Orders" by John W. Peck, 1971
3. U. S. Appeals Court for the Sixth Circuit; swearing-in
ceremony, 22 Nov 1977
4. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan; clippings, corres., 1967-76
5. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Detroit
blockbusting (Zuch v. Hussey) case, 1972-75
6. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Detroit
Edison affirmative action (Stamps v. Detroit Edison Co.),
1973-79
7-9. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Detroit
police affirmative action (Baker v. City of Detroit)-Board of
Police Commissioners, 1974-75
1-3. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Detroit
police affirmative action (Baker v. City of Detroit)-Board of
Police Commissioners, 1976-78
4. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Detroit
police affirmative action (Baker v. City of Detroit)-clippings,
1978-79, 1983-84
5. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Detroit
police affirmative action (Baker v. City of Detroit)-defendants'
brief, 1979
6. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Detroit
police affirmative action (Baker v. City of Detroit)-layoffs,
1975
7. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Detroit
police affirmative action (Baker v. City of Detroit)-opinions,
1979, 1983
1. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases;
Giacalone, "Tony Jack," income tax fraud, 1976
2. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases;
Hamtramck housing discrimination (Garrett v. City of
Hamtramck), 1971-75
3. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases;
miscellaneous, 1969-76, 1980
4-10. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Pontiac
school desegregation (Davis v. School District of the City of
Pontiac)-clippings, 1970-79
1-2. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Pontiac
school desegregation (Davis v. School District of the City of
Pontiac)-correspondence, n.d., 1970-73
3. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Pontiac
school desegregation (Davis v. School District of the City of
Pontiac)-opinion, 1970
4. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases;
published opinions, 1978, 1980-81
5. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; Rubino
income tax evasion, 1968-70
6. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases;
significant Keith decisions (brief descriptions), 1970-75
7. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases;
Weatherman bomb plot, 1973
8. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; White
Panther wiretapping (United States v. Sinclair)-articles,
corres., speeches, 1970-75
9. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; White
Panther wiretapping (United States v. Sinclair)-briefs, opinion,
1971-72
10. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; White
Panther wiretapping (United States v. Sinclair)-clippings,
1970-83
1. U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan cases; U. S.
Appeals Court decisions, 1969-76
2. U. S. Federal Courthouse Annex in Detroit; proposal, c. 1977
Subject Files, 1948-2001
Boxes 16-20
Box 16
3. Affirmative action; articles, speeches, n.d., 1974-85
4. Affirmative action; Bakke case, 1977-78
5. African-American lawyers and judges; articles, 1969-83
6. African-American lawyers and judges; directories, 1970-72
7. African-American lawyers and judges; directories, 1980, 2001
1. African-American lawyers and judges-Detroit; clippings, 1950, 1980's
2. African-American politicians; clippings, 1980's
3. Archer, Dennis; clippings, 1982-87
4. Bill of Rights bicentennial, 1991
5. Black social classes; articles, 1981-82
6. Civil rights; clippings, 1950-89
7. Del Rio, James; Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission ruling, 1977
8. Detroit Alliance of Black Organizations (DABO), 1981-82
9. Detroit planning and development; clippings, reports, 1972-88
10. Detroit riot (1967); clippings 1987
11. Detroit Tigers; clippings, 1983-84
12. Detroit/Michigan black history; clippings, n.d., 1980's
1. Detroit/Michigan lawyers and judges; clippings, directory,
1972, 1980's
2. Diggs, Charles C., Jr.; brief in mail fraud case, 1978
3. Employment discrimination; "Discrimination in HEW," c. 1978
4. Employment discrimination; "Implying Punitive Damages in
Employment Discrimination Cases," 1974
5. Employment discrimination; Sampson v. HUD brief, 1980
6. Federal courts and judiciary; articles, brochures, clippings,
1980's
7. Horton, Willie; clippings, 1976, 1984-85, 1987
8. Johnson, Judge Frank; clippings, testimonial tribute, 1967,
1976, 1984
9. Kennedy, John F., assassination; clippings, 1980's
10. King, Martin Luther, Jr.; clippings, 1983-88
1. Ku Klux Klan, 1980's
2. "The Little Black Book," 1979-80
3. Mandela, Nelson, trip to Detroit; clippings, 1990
4-6. McClain, William A.; speeches, 1948-96
7. "Michigan Firsts," 1987
8. Racism; articles, n.d., 1970
9. St. Martin de Porres High School newspaper, Oct-Nov 1971
10. School desegregation; clippings, 1970-87
1. School desegregation; "Oral History of the Desegregation of
Memphis City Schools, 1954-74," 1997
2. School desegregation; articles, briefs, plans, 1970's
3. Tuskegee Airmen; articles, 1983
4. UAW history; clippings, 1985
5. U. S. Supreme Court; book, clippings, 1957, 1970's-1980's
6-10. Young, Coleman; clippings, 1973-75, 1979-91
Finding Aid end