Statements on the Life and Legacy of Legendary Civil Rights Lawyer, William L. Taylor

“Today we mourn the passing of William L. Taylor, a true legend of the civil and human rights movement.  Bill was an extraordinary lawyer and among the fiercest and most dedicated advocates for the rights of all people in the United States that our country has ever produced. His death leaves a void that won’t easily be filled.

Bill’s trailblazing legal work left an indelible mark on America. As a lawyer with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, he successfully litigated a number of major public school desegregation cases in the wake of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education. As a general counsel and staff director of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights during the 1960s, Bill played a critical role in laying the groundwork for the historic civil rights legislation of that decade.

And in his role as a vice chair of The Leadership Conference, Bill Taylor was a stalwart advocate for the civil and human rights coalition, providing valuable counsel and always pushing the coalition to expand its scope and deepen its commitment to its core mission. Bill’s brilliance was matched only by his dedication to seek justice. We are all better for the life and work of William L. Taylor.”

–Wade Henderson, President and CEO, The Leadership Conference and The Leadership Conference Education Fund

“It was truly an honor and a blessing to have worked with William L. Taylor. Until stepping down recently, Bill for many years chaired the board of The Leadership Conference Education Fund, and his leadership around the research and public education work of the civil and human rights coalition was instrumental in its growth and success. He was a true partner and a great friend. 

As a lifelong advocate for civil and human rights, Bill Taylor believed wholeheartedly in The Education Fund’s mission to build public will for national policies that will create a more open and just society. The Leadership Conference and The Education Fund – and I – will miss him dearly.”

–Karen McGill Lawson, Chief Operating Officer, The Leadership Conference and The Leadership Conference Education Fund