Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2000

WRITER: Diane Pajak, 706/542-5445, dhpajak@arches.uga.edu
CONTACT: Maurice Daniels, 706/542-1774, mdaniels @arches.uga.edu

DOCUMENTARY CHRONICLES LAWSUITS THAT LED TO DESEGREGATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

ATHENS, Ga. -- "Foot Soldier for Equal Justice: Part II - Horace T. Ward and the Desegregation of The University of Georgia - The Aftermath" will be broadcast at 10 p.m. Dec. 28 on Georgia Public Television. The documentary chronicles the story of Ward, the first African-American who sued for admission to the University of Georgia School of Law in 1950. He returned to his home-state some 10 years later to represent Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter in the landmark Holmes v. Danner case that led to the desegregation of the university. Both Part I and Part II of the documentary will be rebroadcast Jan. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m.

"Foot Soldier for Equal Justice: Part II" tells the story of Ward's climb from civil rights plaintiff to a seat on the federal bench. It examines Ward's legal work as a civil rights attorney under the tutelage of well- known African-American attorney Donald L. Hollowell, highlights Ward's public service and ultimately his appointment to the federal judiciary.

"This is an untold story about American history and Georgia history and the struggle for social justice," said Maurice C. Daniels, associate professor in the School of Social Work, who served as the executive producer of the documentary. "And I think it has implications for understanding the plight of African-Americans in the new millennium. If you look at the obstacles that were placed in Horace Ward's path, it becomes easier to understand concerns African-Americans continue to have about true access to higher education."

"Dr. Daniels has brought together an impressive amount of archival and interview data to tell the story of higher education desegregation at the University of Georgia," said Bonnie L. Yegidis, dean of the School of Social Work. "His film fills a significant void in civil rights history by providing insight into how the civil rights movement impacted various discourses concerning equality and civil rights throughout the state of Georgia and contemporary issues pertaining to social justice. The implications are profound, particularly in the midst of current policy concerns dealing with affirmative action in higher education, diversity and equity in Georgia and across the country."

Part I of the documentary, which first aired in February of this year, chronicled Ward's legal battle for admission to UGA's law school. Among the obstacles put in his path were new admissions criteria quickly established by the university and Board of Regents that included a requirement for three letters of reference from law school alumni -- one from the judge of the superior court in the applicant's home judicial circuit. Hoping to avoid a showdown, the university also offered to pay Ward's tuition at an out-of-state law school, a common practice at Southern universities seeking to maintain segregation.

"When Ward applied for admission to UGA's School of Law in 1950, he believed he might be accepted," said Daniels. "After receiving an undergraduate degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta and a master's degree in political science from Atlanta University, it was somewhat reasonable for him to think that. Also, in the spring of 1950, the U.S. Supreme Court had forced the University of Texas to admit Herman Sweatt.

"Ward wanted to attend the University of Georgia because he was a native of Georgia (LaGrange), he wanted to practice law in Georgia, and he wanted to begin establishing the networks and relationships that benefit a young attorney," Daniels added.

For three years, Ward, with the help of Hollowell, Constance Baker- Motley of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and other leaders, fought for his admission to UGA. Eventually, Ward's case was set to be heard. But 30 days before the scheduled date, he was drafted, serving for two years in the United States Army, including one year in Korea.

"By 1956, he realized it was unlikely he would ever be admitted to UGA," said Daniels. "Also, he was 28 or 29 years old and didn't want to further delay his education, so he entered law school at Northwestern University in the fall of 1956, earning his juris doctorate degree in 1959. In December of 1956, his case was finally heard, but the judge ruled the issue as moot, partially because he had entered law school elsewhere."

Part II begins with Ward, now a federal judge, telling the story of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund's success in challenging UGA's attempts to block the admission of Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter (now Hunter-Gault) to the university. Also on camera are attorney Hollowell, federal judge Constance Baker-Motley, business leader Jesse Hill and attorney Vernon Jordan. Holmes and Hunter became the first African Americans to enroll at UGA in 1961.

Ward returned to Georgia to practice law after completing his law degree at Northwestern and was invited by Hollowell to co-counsel the lawsuit filed by Holmes and Hunter to attend the University of Georgia -- the case that led to the desegregation of the university. Former Gov. Ernest Vandiver and Deputy Attorney General E. Freeman Leverett appear in the documentary recounting the state's response to the desegregation crisis.

"Dr. Hamilton Holmes relates a dramatic account of obstacles he faced at the university, and Athens civil rights activists Alfred and Archibald Killian describe how their residence became a place of refuge for Holmes," said Daniels. "The film portrays the insurmountable odds that Holmes and Hunter encountered at UGA and depicts their perseverance and remarkable achievements."

The film also features Mary Frances Early, the first African- American graduate of the University of Georgia, and covers the experiences of the first two black students to enter UGA's law school, Chester Davenport Jr., prominent attorney and entrepreneur, and Robert Benham, chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court.

U.S. Sen. Herman Talmadge, the former governor of Georgia who vigorously fought to prevent Ward's admission to UGA in 1950, appears in the documentary. It was Senator Talmadge who later nominated Ward for a federal judgeship, with President Jimmy Carter appointing him in 1979 to the U.S. Northern District Court, where he currently serves as senior judge.

Despite the agonies and hardships Ward experienced, Daniels noted, "Ward holds no ill-will toward the University of Georgia. To have gone through these experiences and not be bitter is an indication of his positive human spirit. Creating this documentary was a wonderful experience because it provided a unique opportunity to tell the story of desegregation through the eyes of a largely unknown and overlooked player in desegregation in Georgia. It provides a tremendous example for those involved with the continuing struggle for social justice, in that there was such unity within the black community and such convergence by many different community organizations, all with the same goal of making real the promises of democracy."

The documentary was produced in conjunction with the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. It is narrated by civil rights leader Julian Bond, who presently serves as chair of the Board of Directors of the NAACP. The film is produced and directed by Janice Reaves, public relations director for state Labor Department Commissioner Michael L. Thurmond, and George B. Rodrigues, media producer/director for education programs at the University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education. Derrick P. Alridge, educational historian and assistant professor of social foundations in the College of Education, served as the film's academic advisor.

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