Chuck Morgan

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Charles "Chuck" Morgan, Jr (born c. 1930 in Birmingham - died January 8, 2009 in Destin, Florida) was an attorney noted for leading numerous Civil Rights cases in the 1960s.

Morgan was a graduation of the University of Alabama School of Law and took an interest in Civil Rights cases early on. Shortly after the bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church, Morgan addressed the Young Men's Business Club, laying blame on "all who looked the other way," explaining that "Every person in this community who has in any way contributed during the past several years to the popularity of hatred is at least as guilty, or more so, than the demented fool who threw that bomb."

Shortly thereafter, facing credible threats on his life and a decided inability to carry on a successful law practice, Morgan decided to leave the city. His arguments in the Alabama reapportionment case "Reynolds v. Sims" (1964) led the Supreme Court to establish the "one man, one vote" principle for federal elections. He established the American Civil Liberties Union office in Atlanta that same year. On their behalf he appealed a case brought against the Georgia House of Representatives for refusing to seat Julian Bond (1966) and appealed Muhammad Ali's conviction for draft evasion (1967). Both appeals went to the Supreme Court.

In 1972 Morgan left Atlanta to become legislative director for the national ACLU office in Washington D.C. In 1977 he left the ACLU to open his own practice. His client list included Watergate figure John Mitchell and the Sears Roebuck Co.

Morgan died in Destin, Florida at the age of 78 from complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was survived by his wife, Camille, his son, Charles Morgan III, and four grandchildren. Charles III owns Chuck's Fish restaurant in Tuscaloosa, which was named for Morgan.

Publications

  • Morgan, Charles (1964) A Time to Speak: The Story of a Young American Lawyer's Struggle for His City, and for Himself. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston. ISBN 0030505763
  • Morgan, Charles (1979) One Man, One Voice. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston. ISBN 0030139619

References

  • Weaver, Kendal (January 8, 2009) "Charles Morgan, civil rights-era lawyer from Alabama, dies in Florida; Bond, Ali among clients." Associated Press
  • Archibald, John (January 15, 2009) "Morgan's conscience still speak." Birmingham News
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