LANSING — The House unanimously passed House Resolution 103 last week to honor Judge Damon J. Keith for his unyielding commitment to the pursuit of justice and civil rights in America. Among his most distinguished accolades as a jurist included courageously tackling school segregation, government surveillance of citizens, workplace sexual harassment, housing discrimination and voter suppression.
“Judge Keith embodied the heroism and commitment to justice that all public servants aspire to,” said state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo (D-Detroit), chair of the Detroit Caucus. “His actions on the bench served to protect and defend the defenseless in times of great divide throughout our country. We honor him today, and every day, for his brave judicial decisions that were pivotal in changing the course of our country’s history.”
The Detroit Caucus partnered with resolution sponsor Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield in honoring this civil rights icon. Judge Keith was nominated and confirmed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in 1977 and spent more than fifty years serving on the federal bench as a dedicated and persistent champion of equality for every American.
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