Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
African American
Related: About this forumDeath of note.
Longtime Tennessee civil rights lawyer dies at 86NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) George Barrett, a longtime Tennessee civil rights lawyer known for handling a case that ultimately desegregated the state's public colleges and universities, has died. He was 86.
Barrett died Tuesday at a hospital, several partners of his Nashville-based law firm told The Associated Press.
In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Barrett not only handled numerous civil rights cases, he also represented corporate whistleblowers, fought for labor rights and tackled securities fraud, his partners said.
He is perhaps best known as the attorney who filed a lawsuit in 1968 for then-Tennessee State University instructor Rita Geier, who accused the state of operating a dual system of higher education for minorities.
Geier, then 23, filed the lawsuit over the University of Tennessee's plans to develop a Nashville campus. She feared UT-Nashville would become a predominantly white school and that historically black Tennessee State would suffer. The case dragged on for 38 years, and the state ultimately agreed to provide millions of dollars to diversify public colleges and universities.
http://news.yahoo.com/longtime-tennessee-civil-rights-lawyer-dies-86-034927401.html
Just as Atticus Finch, in, To Kill A Mockingbird, fought on principle, so too did George Barrett. It took a while but in the end it was another small step toward equality.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
3 replies, 1220 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (35)
ReplyReply to this post
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Death of note. (Original Post)
jaysunb
Aug 2014
OP
Cha
(297,655 posts)1. Thank you for the news, jay..
RIP George Barrett~
JustAnotherGen
(31,879 posts)2. Thanks
This was an amazing man!
A candle for someone who fought the good fight on education!
MADem
(135,425 posts)3. He was a badass.
Barrett cut a self-assured figure in Nashville's legal community for more than 50 years after graduating from Vanderbilt University Law School in 1957 and taking a job at the law firm of Cecil Branstetter, who was becoming one of the South's leading labor lawyers. Routinely calling himself "The Citizen," Barrett took on authority figures with an attitude of righteous indignation whenever he thought they were abusing their power.
"I don't know if another lawyer in Nashville ever practiced law at such a high level for so many decades and had such an impact," said David Garrison, a law partner at Barrett Johnston Martin & Garrison who started working with Barrett about 10 years ago.
"I don't know if another lawyer in Nashville ever practiced law at such a high level for so many decades and had such an impact," said David Garrison, a law partner at Barrett Johnston Martin & Garrison who started working with Barrett about 10 years ago.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/26/civil-rights-lawyer-barrett-dies/14665453/