Johnnie Cochran: OJs and No Js

On June 16, 1994, America was transfixed by a slow moving, white Ford Bronco creeping down the 405 freeway in Los Angeles pursued by a phalanx of police vehicles and news helicopters. The owner of the vehicle would be arrested in his driveway and charged with murder.

Phyllis Schlafly (1924 - 2016), conservative icon

Phyllis Schlafly, a constitutional lawyer who successfully campaigned against ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution during the 1970s, died Sept. 5, 2016, according to multiple news sources, including CNN. She was 92. Schlafly, who was widely credited with helping move the Republican Party to the right, went on to found the Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund. The political group announced her death in a statement on Labor Day.

Thurgood Marshall: 20 Facts

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall was a giant of the civil rights movement, and his impressive achievements number in the dozens. Here are 20 things to know about about the first African American appointed to the Supreme Court.

Joseph Wapner (1919–2017), The People's Court judge

"The People's Court" judge launched the courtroom-reality TV genre.

Roger Wilkins (1932–2017), Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist

Roger Wilkins, a civil rights activist, historian, and journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize, died Sunday, March 26, 2017, according to multiple news sources. He was 85.

Five People Who Helped Get Justice for Manson's Victims

Saluting those who worked toward a safer, more peaceful world.

Perry Wallace (1948–2017), broke down racial barriers in college basketball

Perry Wallace, who broke down a racial barrier in the Deep South by becoming the first black varsity basketball player in the Southeastern Conference, has died after a battle with cancer.

Ed Lee (1952–2017), San Francisco's first Asian-American mayor

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — MayorEdLee, who oversaw a technology-driven economic boom in San Francisco that brought with it sky-high housing prices despite his commitment to economic equality, died suddenly early Tuesday at age 65.

Reggie “Combat Jack” Ossé (1969–2017), host of the popular hip-hop podcast “The Combat Jack Show”

The show featured interviews with hip-hop stars such as Common.

Asma Jahangir (1952 – 2018), prominent human rights activist in Pakistan

OnTime Magazine'slist of the 100 most influential womenf

Joaquin Avila (1948–2018), prominent Hispanic civil rights lawyer

SEATTLE (AP) — Civil rights lawyer Joaquin Avila, who fought discrimination in classrooms, workplaces and voting booths as a leader of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, has died. He was 69.

Vel Phillips (1923–2018), civil rights pioneer

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Vel Phillips, a civil rights pioneer who helped lead open housing marches in Milwaukee in the 1960s and was the first black person elected to a Wisconsin statewide office, has died. She was 94.  

Adrian Cronauer (1938–2018), "Good Morning, Vietnam" DJ

Robin Williams portrayed him in the film.

Herb Kelleher (1931–2019), colorful co-founder of Southwest Airlines

Started the successful airline with a business plan on a cocktail napkin.

Louisa Moritz (1946–2019), actress, Cosby accuser

Louisa Moritz was a Cuban-American actress best known for her role as Rose in the 1975 film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.” Moritz was also known for appearances in “Love, American Style,” “Up in Smoke,” and “Match Game.” She was among the first seven women who accused actor Bill Cosby of rape, alleging that he assaulted her backstage at “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.”

Carrie Ann Lucas (1971–2019), disability rights advocate

One of the most prominent disability rights attorneys in the United States.

Kitty Tucker (2019), antinuclear activist launched lawsuit in Karen Silkwood case

Kitty Tucker was an antinuclear activist who worked with other activists and lawyers to launch a lawsuit in the case of nuclear whistleblower Karen Silkwood.

Damon Keith (1922–2019), federal judge promoted equality

Damon Keith was a federal judge with a long and prolific career, serving on the U.S. Court of the Appeals for the Sixth Circuit for more than 40 years. Presiding over courts in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee, Keith never retired, serving until his death at 96. His most notable decision was in a 1971 case regarding the Nixon Administration. Nixon's Justice Department was wiretapping people suspected of conspiring to bomb a CIA office, and they were doing it without court orders. Keith ordered them to cease wiretapping without warrants. The Justice Department appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which upheld Keith's decision 8-0. Keith was also known for a 1971 order to desegregate schools in Pontiac, Michigan via bussing, as well as for upholding the affirmative action policy in the Detroit Police Department.

John Paul Stevens (1920–2019), retired Supreme Court Justice

Stevens was the third-longest-serving justice in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Robert Morgenthau (1919–2019), NYC district attorney prosecuted high-profile cases

Robert Morgenthau was the district attorney of Manhattan from 1975 to 2009, the borough’s longest-serving DA who presided over cases that made nationwide news.

John Kirby (1939–2019), inspired Nintendo's Kirby character

It’s not just anybody who has a Nintendo character named after them. But , who died this week at 79, wasn’t just anybody.

Nicholas Kittrie (1926–2019), Pulitzer Prize-nominated author

Nicholas Kittrie was a legal scholar, a law professor, and the Pulitzer Prize-nominated author of books about international law and morality including “Rebels With a Cause: The Minds and Morality of Political Offenders.” His “The Task Ahead” helped inform the development of the South African constitution, and he co-edited “The Future of Peace in the 21st Century” in collaboration with the Nobel Peace Prize Committee as part of the celebration of the prize’s 100th anniversary. A professor at American University’s Washington College of Law, Kittrie was the college’s longest-tenured professor and taught for more than 50 years.

David Stern (1942–2020), longtime NBA commissioner

David Stern was the commissioner of the NBA for 30 years, from 1984 to 2014. During that time, he helped transform the league, bringing it out of a slump into a period of greatness. Under Stern’s leadership, NBA stars achieved international stardom as he sent recordings of games to China for broadcast there and championed superstar players like Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Charles Barkley. It was Stern who lobbied for professional basketball to be allowed in the 1992 Summer Olympics, creating the unstoppable Dream Team. And during his tenure, the average NBA player salary rose steeply to today’s multimillion-dollar levels. Stern famously supported Magic Johnson after the star player was diagnosed with HIV in 1991, and his highly public support helped change the debate about the then-misunderstood disease.

Nathaniel Jones (1926–2020), civil rights activist

Nathaniel Jones was a prominent civil rights activist who led important desegregation suits as chief counsel for the NAACP from 1969 until 1979. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter appointed Jones to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Cincinnati, where he served until his retirement in 2002. In the 1980s, he traveled to Africa to assist developing countries in creating judicial systems.

James R. Thompson (1936–2020), longest-serving governor of Illinois

James R. Thompson was a Republican former governor of Illinois, who served from 1977 to 1991 and was the longest-serving governor in the state’s history.

Deidre Davis Butler (1955–2020), disability rights advocate

Deidre Davis Butlerwas a champion for disability rights and a lawyer who helped draft the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Gerald Shur (1933–2020), founder of Federal Witness Protection Program

Gerald Shur was a lawyer who founded the groundbreaking Federal Witness Protection Program.

William Gates Sr. (1925–2020), philanthropist and father of Bill Gates

William Gates Sr. was a lawyer and philanthropist who was the father of Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933–2020), influential U.S. Supreme Court justice

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the second woman and the first Jewish woman appointed to the court in U.S. history.

Reginald Brewster (1917–2020), Tuskegee Airman

Reginald Brewster was a lawyer who served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II as a Tuskegee Airman, the legendary group of black pilots and support staff.

David Dinkins (1927–2020), NYC’s only Black mayor

David Dinkins was the first and, to date, only Black mayor of New York City.

Lawrence Otis Graham (1961–2021), author who explored race in America

Lawrence Otis Graham was a lawyer and author whose examinations of race and privilege in America became best-sellers.

Alcee Hastings (1936–2021), longtime U.S. Representative from Florida

Alcee Hastings was a U.S. Representative from Florida who served from 1993 until his death.

F. Lee Bailey (1933–2021), defense attorney for Sam Sheppard, O.J. Simpson

F. Lee Bailey was a criminal defense attorney known for his work with high-profile defendants including Sam Sheppard, Patty Hearst, and O.J. Simpson.

Carl Levin (1934–2021), former longtime Michigan senator

Carl Levin was a prominent Democratic U.S. senator from Michigan who served in the Senate for 36 years.

Sarah Weddington (1945–2021), Roe v. Wade attorney

Sarah Weddington was an attorney and pro-choice activist who represented Norma McCorvey in the landmark Roe v. Wade case.

Cheslie Kryst (1991–2022), former Miss USA and “Extra” correspondent

Cheslie Kryst was an attorney and TV correspondent named Miss USA in 2019.

Ned Eisenberg (1957–2022), actor known for “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”

Ned Eisenberg was a character actor best known for his role as defense attorney Roger Kressler on “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.”

Ken Starr (1946–2022), Clinton Whitewater prosecutor

Ken Starr was a lawyer best known as the independent counsel who led the investigation of the Whitewater controversy that led to President Bill Clinton’s impeachment.

John Jay Osborn Jr. (1945–2022), “The Paper Chase” author

John Jay Osborn Jr. was a lawyer and author who wrote the best-selling novel “The Paper Chase.”

Mills Lane (1937–2022), Hall of Fame boxing referee and TV judge

Mills Lane was a boxing referee who officiated many notable bouts, including the “Bite Fight” between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson.

Harry Whittington (1927–2023), Texas reformer shot by VP

Harry Whittington was a lawyer who made headlines in 2006 when he was accidentally shot by Vice President Dick Cheney while on a hunting trip.

Patricia Schroeder (1940–2023), U.S. Representative from Colorado

Patricia Schroeder was a longtime Democratic U.S. Representative from Colorado known for her work towards women’s rights.

Ben Ferencz (1920–2023), convicted Nazis at Nuremburg trials

Ben Ferencz was the last living prosecutor who convicted Nazis in the Nuremburg trials for their war crimes. 

Newton Minow (1926–2023), FCC chair under Kennedy

Newton Minow was a former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under President who is best known for his “vast wasteland” speech, which aimed pointed criticism at commercial television.

Charles Ogletree (1952–2023), Pres. Obama's Harvard law mentor

Charles Ogletree was an attorney and Harvard law professor who served as a mentor to the Obamas and represented clients such as Anita Hill and Tupac Shakur, as well as advocating for victims of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre.

Carol Robles-Román (1962–2023), former Deputy Mayor of New York City 

Carol Robles-Román was an attorney and one of the longest serving deputy mayors in New York City's history.

Alexandra Paul (1991–2023), Olympic ice skater

Alexandra Paul was a competitive ice dancer and figure skater who represented Canada in the 2014 Olympic Games.

Ady Barkan (1983–2023), argued for healthcare reform 

Ady Barkan was a lawyer and activist who fought to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system in favor of a single-payer system, continuing his advocacy even after being diagnosed with ALS in 2016.