Correspondence from Guinier to Bartholet
Correspondence
October 25, 1985

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Case Files, Bozeman v. Pickens County Board of Education. Correspondence from Guinier to Bartholet, 1985. 2f16cd76-f192-ee11-be37-6045bdeb8873. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/d742f2ed-e00d-4c3c-bd64-7ed46a067260/correspondence-from-guinier-to-bartholet. Accessed April 06, 2025.
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Lesar@renseH. LDt/ptr,ttcR.- 7,-,tr--* rrr/,r_ NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND, INC. 99 Hudson Street, New York, N.Y. 10013r (2121 219-1900 October 25, I9B5 Prof . Elizabeth Bartholet Harvard Law SchooI Cambridge, Mass. 02I38 Dear Betsy: At your suggestion, I am writing to outline the basis for: requesting a student for the January Term Internship, or t-he Spring Term cl inical course. I would i ike a student to prepare a research memor:anda and to draft a complaint if appropriate on behalf of Maggie Bozeman, a black civil rights activist and school teacher in Pickens County who was dis- missed from her job as the result of a state felony conviction by an all white jury for "illegal voting." LDF represented Mrs. Bozeman in a successful federal habeas challenge to her: conviction. About two years ago a PILRAP student, Larry Lustberg, prepared an excellent memorandum on selective prosecution, an issue in the case, prior to our filing the habeas petition. I attach a copy of the habeas petition, the district judge's memorandum opinion, our brief as appellee in the court of appeals, and the llth Circuit's opinion affirming the district judge's decision vacating her convic- tion for insufficient evidence. The student should be prepared to research both Alabama law and federal law to determine the proper forum and possible causes of action for challenging Mrs. Bozemanrs discharge from, and seeking reinstatement t-o, her tenured teaching position. An action for damages should also be considered. A short memo on Alabama law governing the right to reinstate- ment of a public employee is attached. The memo does not discuss any rights Mrs. Bozeman may have as a black woman dismissed by an aII white school board in a county that is over 40t black. I have included in the materials appended to this letter a newspaper clipping reporting the school board's decision not to reinstate lvlrs. Bozeman. ('r'trlriltulirtttstrrr'rltrlrtliltlt'.irrr'{,'.S. ittttttttltt.t lnt!'lit)st,s The N/rACP LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATI0NAI- FUN0 rs not part ol the National Associatron lor the Advancement of Colored People allhough il waslorrndcdbyrtanrlsharesrtscornrflitmentloequalrights LDFhashadforover25yearsaseparateBoard.program,staff,otlrceanrlbudget. Prof. Elizabeth Bartholet October 25, 1985 Page 2 I am happy. to answer any question-s that you or interested students may have. I look.forward to hearing from you soon on this and the other employment matter (: ) we discussed. Thanks so much fpr el-L your help. Sinc$reIY, /,A.urn/\ -.. _ Lani. Guinier LG/gr Encls. "2