Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Judge Damon J. Keith
This weekend, I was honored to be invited to a celebration of Judge Damon J. Keith’s forty years on the federal bench. Organized by his former law clerks, the evening at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History was a testament to the leadership of a jurist who is committed to the city of Detroit even as he has developed a national reputation for advancing equal justice under law.
Judge Keith, whose grandfathers were slaves and who grew up under the regime of racial segregation, served his nation in the Army before completing his juris doctorate at historically black Howard University. He practiced law in Detroit, while earning an advance law degree at Wayne State University. President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Judge Keith to the United States District Court. President Jimmy Carter elevated him to the Sixth Circuit.
Judge Keith has always stood up for principle, even if his decisions are not popular. His famous wiretapping opinion, known by his name as “the Keith decision” forbade President Richard Nixon, then at the height of his popularity, from carrying out warrantless wiretaps. His desegregation of the Pontiac schools resulted in death threats. He declared “democracy dies behind closed doors” in prohibiting secret immigration hearings. He also chaired the celebration of the Constitution’s Bicentennial. In every federal courthouse, as well as every law school, there is a plaque showing the Bill of Rights, bearing Judge Keith’s name. A founder of the Detroit NAACP, he has been given the highest award by the national NAACP, the Spingarn Medal. The walls of his chambers are lined with dozens of honorary degrees and hundreds of photos of the Judge with public figures of every type over the past half century.
As impressive as Judge Keith’s career has been and continues to be, his humanity – his humility in particular – is even more important. He seems selfless in his dedication to justice. During his entire tenure, he has commanded enough respect that he has never once had to hold a lawyer in contempt. All law clerks are fond of the judges whom they serve. Judge Keith’s law clerks seem to be devoted to him. One after another, they spoke of the life lessons he imparted, both explicitly and by example. It was apparent that he had changed their lives, giving them an opportunity that they have made good on.
For me personally, I cannot think of a better reason to continue as Dean for this year than to assist the Law School in realizing a vision. The Keith Center for Civil Rights will secure our place as an institution that plays a leadership role within the legal community. It will make us one of only a handful of law schools with a center for civil rights. To be able to work together with Judge Keith is indeed transformative. His life’s work deserves to be continued forever as part of every attorney’s understanding of the obligations of the profession.
