Civil and Human Rights Coalition Pays Tribute to Legendary Civil Rights Lawyer Jack Greenberg

WASHINGTON – Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement in response to the passing of Jack Greenberg, former director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the last living member of the legal team that argued the Brown v. Board of Education case, and an instrumental force in shaping American civil rights law:

“Jack was one of the fathers of civil rights law as we know it today. He was a visionary who recognized the potential of civil society organizations, the three branches of government, and individual lawyers to fulfill our nation’s promise of equality under the law, and pushed them to do so.

He was a tenacious litigator, a thoughtful mentor, and a skilled institution-builder whose legacy will continue to influence the trajectory of civil rights law for generations to come. Despite his myriad accomplishments, it’s possible that his greatest contributions have not yet manifested themselves. 

While Jack may have passed, the work of the lawyers, institutions, and laws he’s shaped will continue to impact our lives every day.”

Wade Henderson is the president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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