LDF Scholarships to Alabamans Aim at Desegregation, More Black Southern Lawyers

    “PressRelease Pp Sa Lae as 

JUN 301971 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

LDF SCHOLARSHIPS TO ALABAMANS 

AIM AT DESEGREGATION, MORE 

BLACK SOUTHERN LAWYERS 

NEW YORK, N.Y. --- Seventeen Alabamans received scholarship 

assistance from the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. 

(LDF) last year to attend formerly segregated, state-supported 

colleges and universities, or to study law. 

According to a report compiled by John W. Davis, former 

President of West Virginia State College, and Director of the 

LDF's educational program, more than 300 scholarships -- ranging 

in size from $400 to $2,160, with an average grant of $900 -- were 

awarded to Southern Negro students who were able to demonstrate 

both scholastic ability and a financial need. 

The Alabama undergraduates under the LDF educational program 

include Deborah Craig (U. of Ala.) of Birmingham, Dwight Drinkard 

(Auburn U.) of Brighton, Isaiah Lockett, Jr. (U. of Ala.) of 

Tuscaloosa, Priscilla Oliver (U. of Ala.) of Opelika, Joan E. 

Sistrunk (U. of Ala.) of Polika, Herman D. Stewart (Auburn U.) of 

Bessemer, Daniel Williams (U. of Ala.) of University, and Sophia 

Bracy (Huntington Col.) of Wetumpka. 

Law students include Carlton Bailey (Chicago U.) of Fairfield, 

Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (Emory U., Ga.) and Michael Figures 

(U. of Ala.) of Mobile, Booker T. Forte, Jr. (U. Of Alas) sof 

Tuscaloosa, Ronald E. Jackson (U. of Ala.), George E. Jones 

(U. of Ala.), and Luther C. Smith (Fla. State U.) of Birmingham, 

and Earline Smith Montgomery (Emory U., Ga.) and Donald Vv. Watkins 

(U. of Ala.) of Montgomery. 

(More) 

AACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. | 10 Columbus Circle | New York, N.Y. 10019 | (212) 586-8397 

liam T. Coleman, Jr. - President Jack Greenberg - Director-Counse 



LDF SCHOLARSHIPS PAGE TWO 

Most of these students -- those who have not yet completed 

their educations -- will be eligible next term for similar 

scholarships. In addition, LDF hopes to increase the number of 

scholarships available through its two-pronged educational 

program: the Herbert Lehman Education Fund and the Lawyer Training 

Program. 

The Herbert Lehman Education Fund was begun in 1964 by LDF 

when its litigation had brought about strict court rulings against 

state-financed, segregated higher education. Through the Lehman 

Fund, LDF provides incentives for black students to enter formerly 

all-white colleges and universities, at the same time providing 

incentives for the institutions -- usually in need of scholarship 

monies -- to accept them. There are currently 122 students under 

this program which has given out 586 scholarships (more than 60 

to Alabamans) in its 7 years of operation. 

The Lawyer Training Program, on the other hand, was a spin 

off of the Lehman Fund to correct the critical shortage of black 

lawyers which has hampered LDF's efforts to reach out into many 

rural areas. 

According to LDF, black lawyers now comprise only about one 

per cent of the legal profession. The most hopeful estimates of 

the black lawyer/population ratios show one black lawyer for every 

21,230 black Americans. But in some rural sections of the 

country -- especially the South and Southwest -- it is feared that 

the disparity heightens to one black lawyer for every 37,000 black 

Americans. White Americans have no problems obtaining sympathetic 

legal assistance: the national average indicates one white 

lawyer for every 600 white Americans. 

In its first year of operation, the Lawyer Training Program 

assisted some 212 law students (including the 9 Alabamans) and 

will continue to provide them with scholarships until they complete 



LDF SCHOLARSHIPS . PAGE THREE 

their three years of law training. For the next school year 

(1971-72), an additional 300 3-year law scholarships will be made 

available. This process -- of adding 300 new scholarships each 

year -- will continue until the LDF's seven year goal of adding 

1,500 blacks to the legal profession is met. 

According to Dr. Davis, the Legal Defense Fund will not 

only provide scholarships to more and more young men and women 

studying law, but will place many of them in summer jobs in its 

New York office and in offices of cooperating attorneys around 

the country, and, to those who show real promise, offer them a 

post-graduate year at the Fund's head office, then help them to 

set up practice in any area sorely in need of a black lawyer. 

The cost of the Lawyer Training Program for a seven-year 

period is expected to run well over $16,000,000. 

=30— 

For further information contact: Dr. John W. Davis or 

Sandy O'Gorman 

(212) 586-8397 

NOTE: Please bear in mind that the NAACP Legal Defense and 

Educational Fund, Inc. is a completely separate and 

distinct organization, even though we were established 

by the NAACP and retain those initials in our name. 

Our correct designation is NAACP Legal Defense and 

Educational Fund, Inc., frequently shortened to LDF.