Washington – Advancement Project, a national multi-racial and civil rights organization, released the following statement on yesterday’s passing of Jack Greenberg, a legendary lawyer with a large civil rights legacy.
“As we evolve on our hard, enduring walk toward freedom, we remember the giants who paved the way,” said Judith Browne Dianis, Executive Director of Advancement Project’s national office. “Jack Greenberg was one of those giants. An integral part of crucial legal teams that advanced equality, Greenberg was a pioneer in legal theory who helped shape the civil rights movement that brought millions closer to justice.”
Greenberg made his mark as a civil rights lawyer during his decades of work at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. He was the last surviving member of the legal team assembled by Thurgood Marshall, and his decades-long career saw more than 40 cases before the United States Supreme Court. Throughout the course of his career, he put racial justice first and foremost.
“At Advancement Project, we are building upon the legacy of legal geniuses like Jack Greenberg. From him and others, we have learned to embrace thinking out the box to use the law to undermine structural racism to achieve a just democracy. He, like we do today, imagined a better world where equality reigns.”
“The road to equity and freedom is paved with trials for communities of color. Thanks to the work of Jack Greenberg, today’s movements are on more solid footing in our fight.”
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Advancement Project is a multi-racial civil rights organization. Founded by a team of veteran civil rights lawyers in 1999, Advancement Project was created to develop and inspire community-based solutions based on the same high quality legal analysis and public education campaigns that produced the landmark civil rights victories of earlier eras.