NOTABLE ARKANSANS

NOTABLE ARKANSANS

He was born a slave in the small town of Tulip, in Dallas County. After moving to Little Rock he earned a degree from Shorter College. He taught school for a while and applied for admission to the University of Arkansas School of Law, but was rejected because of his race. So be began studying the law books of three prominent white lawyers while working without pay as their janitor and passed the bar in 1889. He became known as a defense attorney who devoted his talents to improving the conditions of black Americans. His defense of 12 black sharecroppers sentenced to death after the so-called Elaine Race Riots (now referred to as The Elaine Massacre) was the high point of his career. After a long struggle that went all the way to the United States Supreme Court, his clients were acquitted. He went on to become a special judge for the Chancery Court and served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention. The U.S. Post Office in downtown Little Rock was named in his honor in 2007.

Notable Arkansans is written by Steve Stephens and produced by Clyde Snider

Who was this black lawyer who was named after a Roman general?

Answer on page 6E

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