| |
October
6, 2009
NBA
NEWS BRIEF
National Bar Association, 1225 11th Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C., 20001
NBA
MOURNS THE LOSS OF ITS BELOVED MEMBER &
LEGAL PIONEER THORNTON J. MEACHAM, JR.
WASHINGTON, DC (October 5, 2009) - The National Bar Association
(NBA) mourns the loss of its beloved member, Thornton J. Meacham,
Jr., who passed away last night. Revered for his legal stewardship
and trailblazing efforts, Meacham was influential in assisting
African Americans to be admitted to the New York State Bar.
 Admitted
to the Bar in 1943, Meacham became the first black attorney
to join the legal staff of the Office of Price Stabilization
on Broadway in New York. He was also one of the first black
lawyers to argue a case before the United States Court of
Appeals for the Second Circuit, which allowed him to be featured
as the first African American on the cover of The New York
Law Journal. Among his many accomplishments, Meacham was admired
for his tireless service to the community. He represented
several high profile clients including the New York Chapter
of the NAACP, Adam Clayton Powell, Louis Armstrong, Miles
Davis, and the Carver National Bank.
The
NBA has acknowledged Meacham's efforts as a legal dignitary.
Meacham was a recipient of the NBA Wiley A. Branton Issues
Award during its 15th Annual Wiley A. Branton Issues Symposium
and Awards Luncheon and in 1994, he was inducted into the
prestigious NBA Hall of Fame, which recognizes lawyers who
have practiced for over 40 years and have made significant
contributions to the cause of justice. NBA President Mavis
T. Thompson stated, "Thornton Meacham was an institution within
the National Bar Association family. Mr. Meacham was loved
by all who had the pleasure of being in his company. He was
passionate about the Bar and its members and will be painfully
missed by all of us." Meacham was very active within the NBA,
and was a member of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association,
an NBA affiliate chapter in New York.
This
year, the NBA honored Mr. Meacham with its Heman Marion Sweatt
Award in April during its Twenty-Ninth Annual Mid-Year Conference
& Gertrude E. Rush Award Dinner. The award acknowledged Meacham's
extraordinary accomplishments as a revered legal professional,
who exemplified the pioneering leadership of Sweatt, through
his commitment and exemplary service to the legal community.
Founded in 1925, the National Bar Association is the nation's
oldest and largest national network of predominately African
American attorneys and judges. It represents approximately
44,000 lawyers, judges, law professors and law students and
has over 80 affiliate chapters throughout the United States
and around the world. The organization seeks to advance the
science of jurisprudence, preserve the independence of the
judiciary and to uphold the honor and integrity of the legal
profession. For additional information about the National
Bar Association, visit www.nationalbar.org
|
