Spottswood William Robinson III
Encyclopedia
Spottswood William Robinson III (July 26, 1916 – October 11, 1998) was an educator, civil rights
attorney
and judge
.
In the early 1950s, Robinson and his law-partner Oliver Hill
litigated several civil rights lawsuits in Virginia. In 1951, Robinson and Hill took up the cause of the African American
students at the segregated
R.R. Moton High School
in Farmville
who had walked out of their dilapidated school. The subsequent lawsuit, Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County
which was consolidated with four other cases decided under Brown v. Board of Education
before the Supreme Court of the United States
in 1954. In their arguments before the Court, Robinson made the first argument on behalf of the plaintiffs.
In 1966, Judge Robinson became the first African-American appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
when he was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson. He became the first African American to become Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Circuit Court.
on July 26, 1916, Robinson received his under-graduate degree from Virginia Union University
. In 1939, Robinson received his law degree from Howard University
, graduating first in his class and achieving the highest scholastic average in the history of the Howard University Law School. He was a faculty member of the Howard University School of Law
from his graduation in 1939 until 1947, and was one of the core attorneys of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
(LDF) from 1948 to 1960. Through the NAACP LDF he worked on cases such as Brown v. Board of Education and Chance v. Lambeth (which invalidated carrier-enforced racial segregation in interstate transportation).
From 1960-1964 Robinson was Dean of the Howard University School of Law
. He also served as a member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights
from 1961 to 1963. In 1964 he became the first African-American to be appointed the United States district court
for the District of Columbia. In 1966, Judge Robinson became the first African-American appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
when he was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson. On May 7, 1981, he became the first African American to serve as Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Circuit Court. Judge Robinson took senior status
in 1989 and later retired. He died on October 11, 1998 in Richmond, Virginia
.
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
.
In the early 1950s, Robinson and his law-partner Oliver Hill
Oliver Hill
Oliver White Hill, Sr. was a civil rights attorney from Richmond, Virginia. His work against racial discrimination helped end the doctrine of "separate but equal." He also helped win landmark legal decisions involving equality in pay for black teachers, access to school buses, voting rights, jury...
litigated several civil rights lawsuits in Virginia. In 1951, Robinson and Hill took up the cause of the African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
students at the segregated
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
R.R. Moton High School
Robert Russa Moton Museum
Robert Russa Moton Museum in the town of Farmville in Prince Edward County, Virginia is a museum which serves as a center for the study of civil rights in education.It is housed in the former R. R...
in Farmville
Farmville, Virginia
Farmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 6,845 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County....
who had walked out of their dilapidated school. The subsequent lawsuit, Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County
Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County
Davis v. County School Board of Prince Edward County was one of the five cases combined into Brown v. Board of Education, the famous case in which the U.S. Supreme Court, in 1954, officially overturned racial segregation in U.S. public schools...
which was consolidated with four other cases decided under Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
before the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
in 1954. In their arguments before the Court, Robinson made the first argument on behalf of the plaintiffs.
In 1966, Judge Robinson became the first African-American appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit known informally as the D.C. Circuit, is the federal appellate court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Appeals from the D.C. Circuit, as with all the U.S. Courts of Appeals, are heard on a...
when he was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson. He became the first African American to become Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Circuit Court.
Biography
Born in Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
on July 26, 1916, Robinson received his under-graduate degree from Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University
Virginia Union University is a historically black university located in Richmond, Virginia, United States. It took its present name in 1899 upon the merger of two older schools, Richmond Theological Institute and Wayland Seminary, each founded after the end of American Civil War by the American...
. In 1939, Robinson received his law degree from Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
, graduating first in his class and achieving the highest scholastic average in the history of the Howard University Law School. He was a faculty member of the Howard University School of Law
Howard University School of Law
Howard University School of Law is one of the professional graduate schools of Howard University. Located in Washington, D.C., it is one the oldest law schools in the country and the oldest historically black college or university law school in the United States...
from his graduation in 1939 until 1947, and was one of the core attorneys of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. is a leading United States civil rights organization and law firm based in New York City....
(LDF) from 1948 to 1960. Through the NAACP LDF he worked on cases such as Brown v. Board of Education and Chance v. Lambeth (which invalidated carrier-enforced racial segregation in interstate transportation).
From 1960-1964 Robinson was Dean of the Howard University School of Law
Howard University School of Law
Howard University School of Law is one of the professional graduate schools of Howard University. Located in Washington, D.C., it is one the oldest law schools in the country and the oldest historically black college or university law school in the United States...
. He also served as a member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights
United States Commission on Civil Rights
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is historically a bipartisan, independent commission of the U.S. federal government charged with the responsibility for investigating, reporting on, and making recommendations concerning civil rights issues that face the nation.-Commissioners:The Commission is...
from 1961 to 1963. In 1964 he became the first African-American to be appointed the United States district court
United States district court
The United States district courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty. There is a United States bankruptcy court associated with each United States...
for the District of Columbia. In 1966, Judge Robinson became the first African-American appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit known informally as the D.C. Circuit, is the federal appellate court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Appeals from the D.C. Circuit, as with all the U.S. Courts of Appeals, are heard on a...
when he was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson. On May 7, 1981, he became the first African American to serve as Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Circuit Court. Judge Robinson took senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
in 1989 and later retired. He died on October 11, 1998 in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
Positions
- Faculty, Howard University School of Law, 1939-1948
- Private practice, Richmond, Virginia, 1943-1960
- Counsel / representative, Virginia NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, 1948-1950
- Southeast regional counsel, NAACP, 1951-1960
- Professor / dean, Howard University School of Law, 1960-1963
- U.S. Commission of Civil Rights, 1961-1963