[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 20 (Friday, February 16, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E199]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E199]]


               SALUTE TO JUDGE A. LEON HIGGINBOTHAM, JR.

                                 ______


                           HON. KWEISI MFUME

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 16, 1996

  Mr. MFUME. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and my privilege to rise today 
to pay a special tribute to a great American, Judge A. Leon 
Higginbotham, Jr. This man is an inspiration to those of us who are 
fortunate enough to be familiar with his works, and we as a nation are 
much better because of him and his works. Over the years I have had the 
great fortune to work with and get to know Judge Higginbotham, and from 
these experiences I have grown to consider him not only a friend, but a 
mentor.
  Born in Trenton, NJ, Judge Higginbotham has become one of the most 
respected jurists of our day, not to mention a celebrated civil rights 
leader and an acclaimed professor at Harvard University. He serves 
today not only as an inspiration to all African-Americans, but also to 
all Americans who admire hard work and respect the freedoms and rights 
on which this Nation was founded.
  Judge Higginbotham began his legal career in Pennsylvania, where he 
was appointed assistant district attorney in Philadelphia in the early 
1950's. From there, he went on to serve as a member of the Pennsylvania 
Human Rights Commission and in 1959 he was elected president of the 
Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP. During this time he was also a 
partner in the law firm of Norris, Green, Harris & Higginbotham.
  From 1960 to 1962, Judge Higginbotham was a special hearing officer 
for conscientious objectors at the Department of Justice, and from 
there he went on to become the first black commissioner of the Federal 
Trade Commission. From 1964 to 1977, he was a judge on the Federal 
District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He left that 
job to sit on the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 1977 to 
his retirement in March 1993. For the last 4 years of his term, he 
served as only the third black judge to become chief judge of a 
circuit.
  During this time Judge Higginbotham was also able to write and 
publish the highly acclaimed book, ``In the Matter of Color: Race and 
the American Legal Process.'' Throughout his career, Judge 
Higginbotham's voice has been one of the clearest and most 
distinguished in the area of using the law to promote civil rights. He 
has also become, over the years, one of the most respected voices in 
the civil rights movement.
  In Judge Higginbotham's case, retirement does not mean rest. He is 
currently a professor at Harvard and a practicing counsel to Paul, 
Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, which has offices in both New York 
and Washington, DC. He has also remained active in civil rights 
organizations such as the NAACP, and I look forward to working with him 
in the years to come.
  As even a modest perusal of his career will indicate, Judge 
Higginbotham's life can be summed up in one word: service. Judge 
Higginbotham's selfless dedication in applying his knowledge and 
talents to the betterment of all Americans should serve as an 
inspiration to all, regardless of their race, gender, or political 
beliefs. It is an honor to be able to salute him in these pages, and I 
look forward to many more years of his work on behalf of our Nation.

                          ____________________