Edsel B. Ford, II and Mitch Albom to Serve as Event Chairs
The Reverend Jesse Jackson, civil rights champion and long-time friend of the Honorable Judge Damon J. Keith, will keynote the “Equal Justice Under Law: Celebrating Judge Damon J. Keith’s Fifty-Year Fight for Justice” Gala on October 28, 2017. An event honoring Judge Keith’s tenure on the federal bench, the gala will be chaired by Edsel B. Ford, II, a Director at Ford Motor Company; and media personality, journalist, and author Mitch Albom.
Remarks will also be delivered by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI).
“We live in our faith. We live under the law and the interpreters of the law, the judges, shape our collective destiny.,” Rev. Jackson said. “Judge Damon Keith stands in the legal lineage of Thurgood Marshall. He has distinguished himself as one of the finest in the line of judges. I look forward to celebrating with him on this auspicious occasion.”
“It has been an honor to have known and worked with Judge Keith for many years in the mission to ensure justice and equality for all people,” said Congressman John Conyers. “Throughout his tenure on the federal bench, Judge Damon J. Keith has made it a priority to protect the constitutional and civil rights of all Americans and continues to do so today. As we
commemorate Judge Keith’s 50th anniversary as a federal judge, I also recognize him as an outstanding member of judiciary and a dear friend.”
Together, Judge Keith, Congressman Conyers, and Rev. Jackson, are known as the ‘Three Deans of Civil Rights.’ They laid the foundation for the modern-day civil rights movement in the courts, in congress, and in the community. As the nation recovers from Charlottesville and St. Louis, the Three Deans promise to offer sage lessons that have changed the course of the nation’s history. The Equal Justice Under Law Gala is a fitting way to honor this legacy, lauding one of its giants, Judge Keith.
From landmark civil rights cases such as Davis v. School District of City of Pontiac (1970), the first case to extend federal court-ordered integration to the North, and Garrett v. City of Hamtramck (1971), a pivotal case calling for adequate public housing for African Americans, to modern ones such as Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless v. Ohio (2016) where the judge dissented from a majority decision upholding Ohio voting restrictions by publishing the pictures of 36 “Martyrs of the struggle for equality,” Judge Keith has been a constant voice for the voiceless.
Several high-profile celebrities, civil rights activists, elected officials, and community leaders are expected to attend the Keith affair.
Gala proceeds will benefit the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights at Wayne Law and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Visit eply.com/DJK50th for information.
Media inquiries, interview requests, and confirmations should be sent to Simona Noce at publicist@sjsconsultants.co
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