I am saddened to hear of the passing of Julian Bond, civil rights leader and champion of the underdog. I first met him in ’68 and what I remember most from then is his sense of humor. He stood for what he believed in even if it made powerful people angry. Through it all he never lost that sense of humor or ability to speak common sense. He was the first black political figure to host Saturday Night Live.
Elected to the Georgia House in ’66, the lawmakers there voted 184-12 not to seat him, allegedly because he endorsed opposition to the Vietnam war. That sounded more acceptable than saying they didn’t like him because he was black. It went to the courts and the Supreme Court ruled his freedom of speech had been denied and ordered him seated.
He was elected to four terms of the Georgia House. He served six terms in the state Senate. He went on to head the NAACP. Earlier, he helped create the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Southern Poverty Law Center. His fight for justice wasn’t limited to any one group. He said, “If you don’t like gay marriage, don’t get gay married.” That put him in opposition to some religious groups in the civl rights movement who opposed same sex marriage. He still spoke his mind with eloquence and passion and, stood by his principle for equal justice.
He taught at American University and the University of Virginia.
He was 75. I am sorry he left this life much too soon but I am grateful our paths crossed; he was an inspiration and a true example of someone who stood for what he believed in even if that was the harder row to hoe.
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