Eulogy: John Minor Wisdom

John Minor Wisdom was one of the earliest and most influential voices against racial segregation. As a federal judge with jurisdiction over six states of the old Confederacy, Wisdom helped lead the South into the modern age by striking down barriers of racial discrimination in voting, jury selection, employment, schools, jails, public parks, playgrounds, hotels, restaurants, bars, sports and adoptions.

It is difficult now to imagine how inspiring his judicial opinions were, how they supported and encouraged those of us on the front lines of the emerging civil rights movement.

Wisdom was guided by a vision of color-neutral society, but he knew that in order to remedy centuries of discrimination, the court couldn’t be color-blind. As the father of affirmative action, he understood that remedying segregation required “the organized undoing” of its effects.

Wisdom was also a man of his time. A member of the elite white class of New Orleans and a dedicated Republican, he belonged to private clubs that excluded blacks and Jews. “They know how I stand on these matters,” he said. “I certainly wouldn’t change their views by getting out.” Perhaps not. But Wisdom’s opinions certainly moved us closer to the time when no element of society is excluded from enjoying the fruits of our democracy.

–Ira Glasser, executive director, A.C.L.U.