John D’EspositoTeaching American History

2009-2010

Morris Dees and the Southern Poverty Law

Center

The Early Years

Morris Dees was born in rural Alabama in 1936.His father was an overseer on a cotton plantation; all the others who worked with him were Blacks who were descendants of slaves.Everyone on the plantation was dirt poor.Conditions had not changed much from the times of slavery.

Dees- The Early Years

Morris’ father was a devout Baptist and got along well with the Black farmers.

His father went into farming on his own, on rented property, financed by the processor.

Dees-The Early Years

Dees’ father had to keep moving from farm to farm

His uncles were Klan members; 1 owned a general store with a “colored price” and a “white price”

His father told him to become a lawyer, not a farmer

Morris Goes to College

Dees still wanted to be a farmer, but went to the all-white University of AlabamaWhile he was there, he and a partner came up with a plan to sell birthday cakes to students’ parents for delivery to the student.He made a small fortune and found that he was a genius in direct mail sales

Dees Becomes an Attorney

While in college and law school, Dees remains active in party politics and religious life

He starts a small law firm in Montgomery, Alabama with a partner

1961- A Turning Point

Dees successfully represents Claude Henley, who was accused of assaulting a reporter during a race riot in MontgomeryThe race riot dealt with the Freedom Riders, who were trying to desegregate bus terminalsAfterwards, two Freedom Riders asked him, “How can you represent people like that?”

Dees is challenged by his peers After the September,1963

bombing of the Birmingham, Alabama Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, where 4 young Black girls were murdered, Dees got up in his Baptist Church and asked the congregation to pray for the girls and their church.

Most of the congregation refused.

Back to Direct Mail

Dees became disillusioned, and went back to direct mail, selling millions of cookbooks that could be customized fundraisers for school and community groups

Dees Finds a New Partner

Dees was asked to defend State Senator Mac McFarley, who was accused of soliciting a bribe.

Dees liked the case because “Mac” was an underdog.

His partner on this case was Joe Levin, Jr., who previously had specialized in debt collections

The SPLC is Born

The partners decide to take on civil rights cases

They decide to take on cases where they can sue for damages, and use those to represent others on a pro bono basis

The Civil Rights Cases Begin

They sue and integrate the local YMCA

They sue the US Army on behalf of a female soldier given different pay and benefits…..

The SPLC Changes Tort Law

Dees and Levin decide to sue hate crime organizations’ main office and leaders for the actions of local members

They sue for so much money to destroy the organization

Donald v. United Klans of America

Klansmen murder and lynch 19 year old Michael Donald (1981)

SPLC sues the national Klan organization, wins $7 million and bankrupts the national Klan

Keenan v. Aryan Nations

Security officers at Richard Butler’s Aryan Nations Compound in Idaho mistake a car backfire for gunshots; they chase and shoot at the plaintiff’s car.

The 6.3 million verdict destroys the group financially, and they lose the core of their homeland

Brown v. Invisible Empire , Knights of the Ku Klux Klan

Klansmen run amok and attacked peaceful marchers in Decatur, Alabama in 1979

Case settled in 1990- Klan agreed to make restitution and to take a course on race relations and do community service

Berhanu v. Metzger

White supremacist Tom Metzger worked up violent Skinheads who then murdered an Ethiopian student, Mulugeta Seraw

SPLC sued Metzger’s group, White Aryan Resistance, and seized all his assets

Other SPLC Activities

They do trainings for police about hate crimes

They started Klanwatch (now Intelligence Report) to keep track of extremists

They offer the Teaching Tolerance school curriculum