Henry Marsh
LDF Attorney
A founding member of the Virginia-based law firm Hill, Tucker, and Marsh, Mr. Marsh was a force in the civil rights movement who worked alongside LDF as a cooperating attorney on several notable school desegregation and employment discrimination cases, including Beckett v. School Board of the City of Norfolk; Smith v. United States; and Patterson v. American Tobacco Company. As a fearless advocate in the fight against the massive resistance following the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling, Mr. Marsh secured several wins to ensure Virginia school systems complied with federal desegregation orders. His trailblazing work not only shaped the course of social and racial progress in Virginia and beyond, but also inspired future generations of civic leaders and activists to continue in the fight for equality and justice.
Transcript
This is the Creighton court housing project, one of five Negro or Negro housing projects here in the city. And the five plaintiffs in these five cases, all of whom are standing on the steps over there and standing out in the yard, are five ladies who have had children out of wedlock. We filed suits sponsored by the Legal Defense Fund challenging the right of the authority to evict these tenants on the ground that they had had children out of wedlock. Our theory being that these policies were unconstitutional and violated these 14th Amendment rights to these tenants. And they said that you are allowed one child, illegitimate child, after you move in the projects. Well, I haven't had but one in projects, and I've been married and I'm divorced, and they said that, well, my first child by my ex husband was illegitimate, she's nine years old now, but they still count that as illegitimate. Otherwise, it don't make any difference to the way I understand that rule. Inside out, I don't think it has anything to do with your affairs outside of projects. I think it's what inside the projects that counts. Well, we don't think they have anything to do with your affairs inside the projects in this respect.
Transcript
Henry Marsh is one of our cooperating lawyers, and he has brought a large number of cases for us, including a case against the Philip Morris Corporation, which before our lawsuit, was guilty of discrimination in employment. Nothing can be more important than the abolition of discrimination in employment. It determines whether a family will grow up together, whether it will grow up in health, whether a child can get an education and a higher education. We are giving all the energy we can to putting an end to racial segregation and discrimination in employment. Ms Odin, how long have you been with the company? 29 years. And what's your job? What do you do? Test moisture. You test the moisture in tobacco? Yeah.
How much are you paid an hour? $2.21. $2.21 an hour? Is there anyone who works with you? This white man next to me. And does he do the same thing you do? Same job. And how much does he make an hour? $2.55. $2.55? Yes. And you both do the same thing? Same thing. And you think you're entitled to be paid the same thing he's paid? Yes. Well, we'll find out when the case is decided whether the court agrees with you or not. But I think so too.
