John Due, a civil rights activist, and HBCU-educated lawyer is celebrating his 90th birthday and a lifetime of achievement.
His family, loved ones, and respected colleagues joined his Atlanta-based party on Oct. 5. His alma mater, Florida A&M University’s College of Law, commemorated the milestone with a proclamation of honor. Moreover, the school gifted Due with an oral history book created with the University of Florida’s Samuel Proctor Oral History program.
“I have spent most of my 90 years trying to end racism –- not just for the sake of Black people, but for the sake of all people,” Due shared with the Tallahassee Democrat. “As an activist and ‘Freedom Lawyer,’ I have never stopped fighting to create a better nation for my grandchildren and for everyone’s grandchildren.”
Due began his law career as one of the 57 first-ever FAMU law school graduates in 1963. Born in Indiana in 1936, he ventured to the HBCU in adulthood to help the Civil Rights Movement.
His inspiration to take action stemmed from his eventual wife and fellow FAMU student, Patricia Stephens. Prior to their marriage in 1963, Stephens led civil rights demonstrations across the South, which resulted in her arrest.
However, Due understood early on that the fight for freedom would take determination and hard work.
“When I was born in 1934, Jim Crow was still the law of the land,” explained Due. “I remember my teacher taking our whole class to see ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ at a white movie theater, and they wouldn’t let us in because we were Black. That was the first time I realized that freedom is not free.”
After obtaining his law degree, he worked as an attorney to help students arrested due to Freedom Rides. The interracial bus rides to protest segregation often resulted in the detainment of many participants.
He eventually moved to Mississippi to continue his racial justice efforts. There, he monitored violence against civil rights advocates as a lawyer for the Congress of Racial Equality. In this role, he helped progress cases for civil rights to the federal level.
His extensive professional background includes his time as a director of the Office of Black Affairs in Miami. While working on welfare rights, quality education, and immigration, he also advocated to eliminate mass prison incarceration.
His lifetime of action led to his induction into the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2018. He and his other inaugural FAMU cohort remain enshrined on the HBCU’s campus, with a plaque at the Meek-Eaton Black Archives.
His birthday occasion also included virtual attendees from Florida to honor his impact. One of his three daughters, Johnita, spoke of her father’s legacy across states.
“It was important for Dad to see the vast impact he has had across the state of Florida,” explained Johnita Due. “We were able to celebrate his living legacy that continues to inspire the next generation.”
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