Orzell Billingsley (October 24, 1924 – December 14, 2001) was one of the first ten African-Americans admitted to the Alabama Bar; he was also known for his work in civil rights litigation, and he was one of the lead lawyers for

Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...

during the 1955

Montgomery bus boycott The Montgomery bus boycott was a political and social protest campaign against the policy of racial segregation on the public transit system of Montgomery, Alabama. It was a foundational event in the civil rights movement in the United States ...

. Co-founder of the

Alabama Democratic Conference The Alabama Democratic Conference (ADC) is an African-American political league, co-founded by Orzell Billingsley and others, in cooperation with the national Democratic Party. Formed in 1960 as the Black Political Caucus of Alabama, it was the fir ...

and its first president, Billingsley helped develop this first statewide African-American political organization in Alabama. He was well known for his 15-year defense of Caliph Washington of

Bessemer, Alabama Bessemer is a southwestern suburb of Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States. The population was 26,019 at the 2020 census. It is within the Birmingham- Hoover, AL Metropolitan Statistical Area, of which Jefferson County is the ...

, who was falsely accused and convicted of killing a white police officer; it was this case that helped to end

all-white juries Racial discrimination in jury selection is specifically prohibited by law in many jurisdictions throughout the world. In the United States, it has been defined through a series of judicial decisions. However, juries composed solely of one racial ...

in Alabama.

Early life and education

Orzell Billingsley was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He had a brother. After attending local schools, he studied at

Talladega College Talladega College is a private historically black college in Talladega, Alabama. It is Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, ...

and the law school of

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a private, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity" and accredited by the Middle States Commissi ...

. He was among the first ten African-Americans to be admitted to the Alabama bar.

Career

Billingsley set up a practice in Birmingham, where he was long involved in civil rights litigation. He often defended African Americans accused of crimes, and was known for his 15-year long defense of Caliph Washington. He was arrested for "acting as an agent of a foreign corporation," when he filed a deed on behalf of the

Nation of Islam The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a religious and political organization founded in the United States by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930. A black nationalist organization, the NOI focuses its attention on the African diaspora, especially on African ...

to secure farmland in Alabama. Presidents

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

and

Lyndon Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...

were known to call on Billingsley regarding the turbulence during the civil rights era in Alabama. Billingsley served as General Counsel for the National Democratic Party of Alabama (NDPA) and was a delegate for the NDPA at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Billingsley helped to incorporate more than 20 small towns in Alabama that had majority-black populations. Billingsley was a co-founder of the

, a statewide organization for African-American politics. He was a founding member of the Alabama Lawyers Association. He challenged the white practice of addressing African Americans by their first names in court, winning them the right to be called by their full proper names and titles during court proceedings. He was known as the "black Patrick Henry of Alabama."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Billingsley, Orzell 1924 births 2001 deaths African-American lawyers Howard University alumni Lawyers from Birmingham, Alabama Talladega College alumni 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century African-American people