Wayne Law announces donation of Rep. Conyers’ papers and records to Keith Collection

April 12, 2012

Judge Damon J. Keith (left) and
Rep. John Conyers at the 2009
Wayne Law Treasure of Detroit*

DETROIT (April 12, 2012) — The Damon J. Keith Law Collection of African American Legal History at Wayne State University Law School has announced that it will be the beneficiary of the papers and records of Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-MI) from the 24 terms he has spent in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The materials will include original documents relating to Conyers’ work promoting civil rights and social justice in Michigan. The Keith Collection is the premier national entity devoted to preserving and educating the public on the contributions of African Americans to the law. This new donation will provide a unique resource for the public to learn about the work of Conyers, a civil rights pioneer.

“I am honored that Congressman Conyers has decided to donate his papers to the Keith Collection,” said Judge Damon J. Keith. “As a U.S. representative and former chair of the House Judiciary Committee, he has made significant contributions as an African American in the law.”

“Judge Keith and I share a lifelong friendship, and we are both alumni of Wayne Law,” Conyers reflected. “The Keith Collection was a natural fit for my materials.” Keith received his LL.M. from Wayne Law in 1956; Conyers received his J.D. in 1958.

The materials will become available to scholars and researchers after they are processed by Wayne State University’s Reuther Library, where they will be housed.

 “We are thrilled about the donation of these papers to the Keith Collection, as Conyers has been a tireless fighter for equality and a legend in protecting the civil rights of all people,” said I. India Geronimo, director of the Keith Collection. “These papers will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of the civil rights movement.”

The Damon J. Keith Law Collection of African American Legal History at Wayne State University Law School was created to record the history of African American lawyers and judges. The mission of Keith Collection is to collect, preserve, and provide resources pertaining to African American legal history, including the history of prominent African American lawyers, judges, and lawmakers whose service to the community reflects an interest in and commitment to civil rights and social justice. The Keith Collection works in partnership with the Walter P. Reuther Library, a world-renowned archival repository, the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights and the Wayne State University Law School. For more information on the Keith Collection, visit http://keithcenter.wayne.edu/collection/index.php

*The tuxedo jacket is from Premier Tuxedos in Northland Mall.

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