Oral History of Judge Inez Smith Reid
INDEX
Africa
Congo, I 10, l2l, 122, 123-24, 125-26, 212, 302
Senegai, 7719,ll0
women in, 139
African Americans, 84-85, 180
careers, 5, 2+25, 35, 95, 142, 168
churches, 11, 15, 314-15
and civil rights, 97-99
class structure, T6-19
and Clintons,23D
in District of Columbia,9S-99,116
faculty, 189
judges, 196,273
andJFKennedy, Il0,1l2
and law firms, 195,215,228
presidential campaign of 2008, 228-30
students, 128-30,187
and Terrell Law School, i01
at Tufts University, 50, 5l-52, 60-61, 6445, 96
at Yale Law School, 691 0, 7213, 9l-92
and women’s movemsnts, 138, 219,22011,223-24
writers, 30
See also Black Women’s Community Development Foundation (BWCDF)
Alexander, Emily P., 86-87
Alprin, Geoffrey M., 181,290
Anthony, Louis, 130
Antioch School of Law, 198-200,298
Amold, Thurman, 84
Baer, Thomas,76
Bantel, Liz,53-54
Barcella, E. Lawrence, I95
Bames, Melody, 315
Barnett, Ida Wells, 97
Barry, Marion, 179,181-83, 184, 190, 195
Beame, Abraham D., 300
Beck, Ronna,205
Beckwith, Corinne A, 289
A-1
Beecher Memorial Congregational Church, 3, 3 I 4
Bell, Derrick, 134
Beveridge, Albert J., 182
Bible Way Church, 36
Black Women’s Community Development Foundation (BWCDF), 136-41, 142,221.,223
Blackburne-Rigsby, Awra, 27 4
Blockwood, James Christian, 60
Blum, Barbara, 153, 154, 155
Boggs, Rod, 198
Brooke, Edward, 138
Brooks, Walter, 94
Brown, H. Rap, 104
Browning, Robert,3l8
Burt, Joan A.,767
Cahn, Edgar S., 69, 73,199,200
Cahn, Jean Camper, 69, 73, 199, 200
Calabresi, Guido, 7213, 7 5
Calhoun, James,76
Califano, Joseph, 150, 152
C armi chael, Stokely, 222
Carver, George Washington, 72
Chenault, Elsie Dickerson Smith, 94
Children’s Defense Fund, 140
Childs, George Wiliiam, 6, 11, 13,23,87
Christian, Kaye, 181
Civil Rights Act, 109
civil rights movement, 79, 85 , 96-99, 102-104, I07 , 132, 2L6, 224, 317
leadership in, 100-101, 183
Clark, David, 184
Clark, LeRoy, 134
Clay, Eric L.,196,197
Clayton, Eva, 140
Cleckley, Franklin D., 189
Clinton, Hillary R., 22910
Clinton, William J., 230
Coffin, William Sloan, 7 7
Cohen, William, 206, 255
Conference of Chief Justices,249
Cook, Frederick D., Jr., 289-90
Cook, Pav[.,47
Cronkite, Walter, 159
Cummins Engine Foundation, 137, 179
A-2
Dallas, Judy, 53-54
Darrow, Clarence,6T
Davis, Linda, 205,206
Dershowitz, Alan, 87-88
desegregation, 98-1 00, 133
Dineen, Carolyn, 7 4, 120-21
District of Columbi 4 2-3
activism in, 98-100
African American class structure, 19, 116
American Lung Association of, 29 6, 297
asthma epidemic, 296, 297
churches, lI, 13-14, 3L3-14
and civil rights activism, 98-99
Council of, 162, 17 5:l 6, 27 1-72
courts,246,248
Access to Justice Commission, 26913, 296
language interpreter bank, 27112
Joint Committee on Judicial Administration, 260
Standing Committee on Fairness and Access to the D.C. Cowts,24546,269-71,296
Fair Employment Council of Greater Washington, 273
govemment issues, 1 83-84
homeless, 186-87
underMayorBarry, 183
Offi ce of Corporation Counsel, 16l-63, I 65-66, 17 4-7 5, 201
attorneys, 17 012, 17 8, 184, 290
cases,185-87
and U. S. Attorney’ s Offi ce coordinatio n, 1 66, 17 5-:7 8, 186
riots in, 704,115-16
schools,9S-99
and segregati on, 23-25, 98-1 00
Self-Govemment Act of 197 0, 165
District of Columbia Bar Foundation, 269,272
District of Columbia Court of Appeals,249
Access to Justice Commission, 269-:73, 296
language interpreter bank, 27112
case backlog,256,295
case variety, 278
Chief Judge. See Washington, Eric
en banc opinions,258
influence of, 27 6, 281-82
intermediari es, 29 5-9 6
judges, 260-64, 27 3-7 5, 27 9-80
panel procedures, 237 -39, 266-67, 299
A-3
Standing Committee on Fairness and Access to the D.C. Courts,24546,269-:77,296
Dixon, James P., 199
Dodds, Harry,69
Donaldson, Ivanhoe, 1 79
Driskell, David C.,314
Dubuc, Canoll 8.,192,194, t95
Dunbar, Paul Lawrence, 30
Duncan, Charles, 14
Duncan, Todd, 13-14,32
Earl, William,I78,290
Edelman, Marian Wright, 69, 136, 139, 140, 142, 743, I 46, 1 50
Edelman, Peter, t4243, 14546, 150, 233, 273
Eisenhower, Dwight D., 43
EPA. See United States Environmental Protection Agency
Fair Employment Council of Greater Washington,2T3
Fairfax, Jean, 136, 140, l4l
Fam, Samia,289
Fanon, Franz, 103
Farrell, Michael W ., 238, 27 4
Finley Kumble, 190,192
Fisher, John R.,274
Frankfirter, Felix, 206, 282
Fruzie1E. Franklin, 19
Freedman, James O., 73, 7 4
Fugere, Patricia M’ 269
Gilbert, Richard,289
Gill, Gerald,61
Glickman, Stephen H. 279
Goldman, Eugene, 152
Graham & James, 193,195
Gray, Arthur D., i4
Green, Ernest G., 735, 203
Greenberg, Jack,l34
Greenberge r, Mar sha, 224
Grossman, Martin, 178
Hairston, Jester, 65
Halstead, Bernard, 60
Harris, Stanley, 176
Haywood, Margaret A., 101
A-4
HEW.,See United States Deparhnent of Health, Education and Welfare
Higginbotham, A. Leon, Ir.,2l5
Hobson, Julius, 100, 101-102
Houston, Charles Hamilton, 35,36,66, 115
Houston, Clotille,66
Howard University, 22, 4849,66,99, ll3
Hughes, Langston, 30
Huhn,Nan, 181
Hyman, Erias A., 163,204
Ince, Basil,52
Inc. Fund. See NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund,Inc.
inspectors general, 1 58-59
Jeffers, Katherine, 53, 64
Jenkins, Timothy, 70
Jewish people, 12
at Tufts University, 50,96
in World War II, 20,104,105
Johnson, Lyndon B., 109-10
Johnson, Raymond,36
Johnson, Mordecai, 22, 100
Jones, Clayton,69
Jones, Ethel, 86
Jones, Lawrence, 14, 83, 91
Judicial Nomination Commis s ion, 202, 203, 207, 3 13
Kennedy, Anthony, 267, 268
Kennedy, John F., 108-12
Kennedy, Robert F., 108, 109,142
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 83, 85,99,100, 113-15,132
assassination of, 104, 108-109, 1 12
King, Warren R.,231
Kramer, Noel Anketell, 27 4
Laxalt,Paul,194
Laxalt Washington, 190, I94,213
See also Washington, Perito & Dubuc
LDF. See NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
Lemer, Lisa, 188,226
Lewis, Burnis, 77, 78, 80
Lewis, David Baker, 195,196,207
Lewis, Kathleen Louise McCree, 196-97
A-5
Lewis, White & Clay, 195-96
Libassi, Peter, 150-52
Lichtman, JLldith,z24
Lillie, Charisse R., 215
Little, Malcolm. See Malcolm X
Locke, Alain,49
Mack, Julia Coop e4 232, 260, 273, 317
Malcolm X, 82-85, 104
Marcum, John A., 80
Marcus, Daniel, 152
Marks, AndrewH,269
Marshall, Thurgood, 5’1, 58, ll5, 267, 268
Mayer, Iean,6l,298
Mays, Benjamin, 15, 100
McCree, Wade H., 196
McNeil, Bertha, 41,, 44, 47, 209
Medicaid fraud cases, 17 5-7 6, 178, 183
Meredith, James, 115, 133, 134-36,160
Mize, Gregory E., 184
Moses, Robert, 140
Motley, Constance Baker, 115,13215, 160, 316-17
Motley, Thomas, 129-30
Munday, Reuben A.,196
Murphy,Inez Childes Bundy,5, 11, 13,14,15, 18, 2t,23
Murphy, Janes,177
Murray, Pauli, 70,223
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), 80-81, 133-j4,136,3t6
Nabrit, James, 100, 134
New Haven, Corurecticrtt, 9 l-92, 102
civil rights demonstrations, 107
Dixwell Avenue Congregational Church, 83
Public Library,7l,126
New Orleans, Louisian a, 2-3
New York University Institute for Appellate Judges, 231,24344
Newman, Theodore R., 263, 273, 278, 284
Nichols, Susan, 53,54
Niebuhr, Rheinhold,90
Norton, Eleanor Holmes, 3 6, 69, 7 0, 92, 120, 199, 204, 296
Obama, Barack H., 228–29, 243
A-6
Pan, Florence,289
Parks, Rosa, 96,132
Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School, 25, 30, 3 +3 5, 3 6-37, 4647
extracurricular activities at, 3 8{0
impact of Brown on,4244
Peace Corps, 112
Peck, Neil,76,77
Peoples Congregational Church, 3 l2-I 5
Perito, Paul L., 190, 191, 794,195
Peters, Ellen, 71
Peyton, Benjamin,9l
Pierce, Samuel, 191, 204, 206
Plymouth Congregational Church, 11, 13-15, 33,314
Pollak, Louis H,75
Powell, Colin,52
Presidential campaign (2008), 228-30
Rankin, Michael,204
Reagan, Ronald, 159, 161
Reagon, Bernice Johnson, 139, 314-15
Reich, Charles A., 81
Reid, Frantz, 108, 1,12, 7 49, 192, 302-304
Reid, [Elsie] lnez [Virginia] Smith – PERSONAL
Banneker Junior High School,32-34
birth,2
brothers. See Smith, Sidney Randall Dickerson, Jr.; Smith, George Bundy
childhood, 7-8
Christmases, 301-302, 309
church secretary, 4041, 47
civil rights movement impact, 97-100,103-104
Columbia University Ph.D., 118, 127 , 128,212,255
Colonel Charles Young Elementary School, 26–27,36
Dunbar High School, 21, 25, 3 0, 34-35, 36-37, 4547, 57
basketball, 38-39,40
impacts of Brown on,4144
oratorical contests, 3 8-40
teachers, 44 45, 47,209-10
family life, 301-11
father, 3, 4, 7, 8-9, 16, 94, 314
Ford Foundation fellowship, 1 17,119, 122,211-12,302
French language, 124-25
gender discriminati on, ll9-20, 2lI
A-7
godfather,94
godmother, S6-87
grandparents,4-6,94
See also Murphy,lnez Childs Bundy (maternal grandmother)
great-nieces and nephews, 301, 309, 310-11
great-uncle, 6, 71, 13, 23, 87
and historical events of 1960s, 108
homes,20-21
Howard University, 47, 4849, 57, 63
husband.,See Reid, Frantz
integration experiences, 12-13
on JF Kennedy, 108-12
on ML King, 85,99, 100, 108, 112-15
Lancaster Theological Seminary Board member, 311-12
legacy,3LT-18
maid work,40,4l
Mary and Coleman Jennings Club, 25,38
mother, 34, 2I, 23, 86, 87, 314
complexion of, 16
death of, 58-59
federaljob,3,6
influence of, 9-12, 15, 16-18, 58
PTA president, 9, 14,27,45
nephews, 301-302, 305, 309
George, Jr., 207, 307, 307, 308, 3 1 5
Sidney m, 306-307,315
New Haven, CT, 9l-92, 702
civil rights demonstrations, 107
Dixwell Avenue Congregational Church, 83
Public Library, 71,,126
nieces, 301102, 305-309
Beth, 307, 315
Lisa,207,218, 301, 305-306, 315
Michelle, 301,306, 315
Sharon, 306, 315
Operation Crossroads Africa, 77-80, 1 10, 150
Peoples Congregational Church, 3 14-1 5
treasurer ofdeacon board, 312-13
politics, 198,229-j0
reading, 23,29,90,309
religion, LL-12, 15, 22, 312
in Senegal, 77-80,1t0
sisters-in-law, 305, 3 1 0
A-8
summer church ctrmp, 12-13,30,41
Supreme Court hearing attendance, 56-57,58
tennis, 33, 50
travel, 30
Tuft s University, 3 5, 47 48, 49-52, 57, 63 44, 92, 9 6
and civil rights movement, 55-56
classmates, 53-54, 190, 255
Distinguished Service medal, 60
extracurricular activities, 50-5 1, 6243
influences, 53-54, 120
library job, 6+65,126
Trustee Board member of, 59, 61,296-97,297-98
and Yale, 90
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 1.17,118,122, 125,212
University of Y ir girua 244
volunteer work, 40
Wellesley College interview, 64
World War tI remembrances, 19-20
Yale Law School, 65-70, 86, 9l-92, 244
Associate Dean at, 118-19, 120,211
Barristers Union, 89
classmates, 7 0, 7 31 4, 7 6-:77, 87-88
commencement, 86, 111
finances at,68,71
honors, 81-82
and Inc. Fund, 80-81, 87, 133, 316
and Malcolm X, 82-85
moot court activities, 88-89
professors, 7 7, 72-73, 75, 80-8 l, 85
public defender intemship, 81-82, 88
and Tufts, 90
Reid, Inez Smith – PROFESSIONAL
Adj unct Professor, American University, 227, 298
Associate Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals,234-35
appellate and trial judge qualities, 286-87
attorneys, 282-84, 28 8-90
cases, 236-37, 23941, 277 I 9
Chief Judge offers, 255-57
colleagues, 260-64, 299
confirmatio n, 20 5 -20 6, 25 5
impact on Court, 277-:78
influence of Court, 276,281-82
investiture,20T
A-9
judges of note, 273-7 5, 279-80, 317
law clerks, 23516, 24143
legacy,3l5-16
nomination,20I+05
panel procedures, 237-39, 265-67 , 299
preparation fol23l-33
and public policy, 28V82
role in society, 282-83
workload,294-95
background infl uences on cases, 28-29, 26445, 267 -68
Board member, Antioch School of Law, 198-99,298
career satisfaction, 300
California Bar exam, 117-18
Chair, Standing Committee on Faimess and Access to the D.C. Courts,24546,260,269-71,
296
Chair, Arrangements Committee for the D.C. Court’s Judicial Conference,29S-99
on civil rights movement, 102-104
in the Congo, ll0, 12l-26, 212, 302
on continuing legal education, 283-84,289
Corporation Counsel for the District of Columbia,l55, 16ffi7,190,194,201,232-33
administrative appointments, 1 79-8 I
administrative approach, 29 I -9 4
appointment to,179
attomeys, 17 0-72, 17 8_79, 184, 290, 292-94
firefighters’ case, 167 -69, 185
legacy as,t73-75
and Mayor Barry, 181-83
Medicaid fraud cases , 17 5-:1 6, I 78, I 83
South African Embassy demonstations, 186
and U.S. Attorney’s Offrce, L66,176-77,186
Chief of the Legislation and Opinion Section, 160-63, 181
Deputy Legal Counsel, 164-66, 181
cowage of, 156, 160
deferment of legal profession, 1 1 8-1 9, 120, 142, 2ll, 2t2
Deputy General Counsel, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEVD, 150-51,
152,161,165
Distinguished Visiting Professor, University of West Virginia College of Law, 187-89, 190,
225–26
Executive Director, Black Women’s Community Development Foundation, 136-41 ,142,179
General Counsel, New York State Division for Youth, 14142,14345,14849, L50,273
supervising, 14647
supervisor, 14546
Head, American Lung Association of the District of Columbia,296,297
A-10
humility of , 252-5 4, 25 5-56
Inspector General, u.S. Environmental Protection Agency @PA), 15240,165,194
judicial philosophy, 2819, 284
Lecfluer
Bamard College, 126, 13 t, 1, 40, | 49, 188, 226, 227, 252
and female professor snub, 131, 215-16
and student assistance on book, 138,221
Brooklyn College, 726, 127, 226, 227
City University of New York, 126,149
Columbia College, 188
Ecole National De Droit D’Administration, | 10, 12l-26, 1 42, 212, 302
challenges, 123-25
and Law Library, 122,126,302
Hunter College lecturer, 126, 127,226
State University of New York (New Paltz),126-27
and students, 128-31, 188-89
Litigator, Graham & James, 193-94,195
Litigator, Lewis, White & Clay,195-96,203
Litigator, Washington, Perito & Dubuc, 152, 189-93, 19 4-9 5, 228
cases, 190-93,213-14
instructor at,l97
and Motley, 732-35, 316-17
NewYorkBarmember, 191
New York University Institute for Appellate Judges, 231,24344
private practice vs. government work, 200-201
Together BlackWomen book, 138, 139, 221-23,22+25
on violence, 104-106
Vice Chair, Access to Justice Commission,26913,296
volunteer, Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, L98,207
and Wagner (former Chief Judg e), 245-50, 25 l-52, 25 4, 269
as classmates, 36, 46, 232, 245
and Washington (Chief Judge), 254-60,269,295
and white males, 130-3i, 188, 213-14,226,227-28
women’ s advancement facilitati or, 225-28
on women’s movements, 216-25
work ethic, 169, 266, 309
Richey, Charles R., 167, 168,232
Rivlin, Benjamin,226
Roach, Hildred,9l
Robinson, Aubrey, 74, 66
Rogers, Jefferson P., 33
Rogers, Judith, 161, 162-63, 17 3, 784, 263
A-11
Rolark, Wilhelmina, 17 6, 183
Rufl Charles, 153-55, 176
Ruiz, Vanessa,202,203
Rule 16 of the Superior Court Rules of Criminal Procedure,24l,277
Schwelb, Frank 8.,234
Sellers, Joseph M.,207
Shalala, Donna 8.,203
Simon, Am K. H.,289
Simmons, Barbara Lett, 203
Skinner, Elliott, 150
Smith, Alene, 310
Smith, Beatrice Virginia Bundy, 34, 21, 23, 86, 87, 3 I 4
complexion of, 16
death of, 58-59
federaljob, 3, 6
influence of, 9-12, 1 5, l6-18, 58
PTA presidenl, 9, I 4, 27, 45
Smith, George Bundy, 3, 6, 21, 32, 41, ll3, 149, 301
Albany Lavv Review tribute to, 10-11, 56
Associate Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, 7,300
godmother of, 86
influence on twin sister, 65, 67 , 81,202, 205, 256
at NAACP Legal Defense Fund, 121,133,134,299
Operation Crossroads Africa, 7718
parenting approach, 308
at Phillips Academy, 34,36, 67 ,307
Supreme Court hearing attendance, 56-57
surgeries,3l
Yale Law School, 67,68,73,74,75, 81, 86, 111
Yale University, 47, 59, 7 5
Smith, James A,94
Smith, James Roy,7
Smith, Jonathan,269
Smith, Katherine, 305, 3 10
Smith, Roberta, 86
Smith, Sidney Randall Dickerson, Jr., 3, 7-8,36,76,86,301, 308
cueey32
education, 47,59,75
Smith, Sidney Randall Dickerson, Sr., 3, 4,7 ,8-9, 16,94,314
Smith, Stanley A.,94
Smith, Thomton,94
Smith, Weynemo, 94
A-t2
Stanley, A. Knighton, 313
Steadman, John M., 23 1, 262-63, 273, 27 4
Steinem, Gloria, 216, 220
Sudq John, 18i, 185
Sullivan, Emmet, 202, 204
Supreme Court, U.S,, 56, 57, 58, 85
Terrell, Mary Church, 98, 99,101
Terrell, Robert H., 101
Terrell Law School, 101
T.rry, John A., 238,274
Thomas, James,70
Thomas, Lowell, 180-81
Thompson, Phyllis D., 27 4, 27 5
Thurman, Howard,90
Till, Emmett, 96-98, 105
Toffler, Alvin, 103
Tufts University, 59, 296-97, 298
African American students, 50, 5l*52, 60, 64–65, 96
and civil rights movement, 55-56
Jewish students, 50,96
professors, 53, 54, 60-61
student body, 54-55
Turner, James,73
Turpin, Eleanor, 51, 52, 54
Tyler, Richard,36
United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW), 151
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), I 52-53, 15 5-57, 1 5 8-59
University of Mississippi, I 1 5, 133, 134-36
University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, 198,202-203,283,298
Valentine, George C., 167, 178, 290
Vermeil, Steven,61
Vietnam War, 114-15
Wagner, Annice Robinson McBryde, 245-50, 25 l-52, 259, 264, 269, 27 3
classmate of Reid, 36,46,232,245
head of Conference of Chief Justices, 249,254
Warren, Earl, 85
Washington, Booker T., 6445
Washington, DC. See District of Columbia
Washington, Eric, 205, 206, 25M0, 269, 295, 3L4
A-13
Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, 198,273
Washington, Perito & Dubuc, 189, 190, 192,194-95, L97
Washington, Robert, 190, 194-95
Washington, W alter, | 62
Whitehead, Matthew, 6I-62, 95
Whitehead, Thelma Reid, 33-34, 6i
Whitehead, Matthew, 33
Williams, Edward Bennett, 89
Williams, Terry, 5I,52
Williams, Yvonne,36
Winston, Martha, 26,27
women
and law schools, 67 , 68-69,74
and law positions, 120-27, 2ll, 2I5, 228, 27 3
women’s movements, 216-25
and African American women, 219,220-21,223-24
and civil rights movement, 22315
World War II, 19-20,104, 105
Worthy, Patricia M, 207
Yale Law School, 85,90-92
and African Americans, 681 0, 72J3
professors, 7 l, 72-73, 75, 80-8 1, 85
A-14