Favorable or Unfavorable #52: Hugo Black

[vcczar]

Justice Hugo Black (AL-D) is one of the longest-serving justices in US history. Regarding his KKK history, there is some conflict. He claims to have left the KKK shortly before running for the US Senate in like 1926. Some say, he rejoined once elected. In 1937, it was revealed he had been a member. He stated he left before joining the Senate at that time. FDR claims to have not known, but he didn't withdraw him once he learned he had been a KKK member. Regardless, by the 1950s he was siding with liberals on Civil Rights. In the 1960s, he was as well, but he also sided for Law & Order in Civil Rights cases that involved rioting or police. 

His actions:

Black, Hugo	1932	Black-Connery Bill for a 30-hour week
Black, Hugo	1933	worried about monopoly potential of NRA
Black, Hugo	1933	Urges shorter work weeks
Black, Hugo	1934	Introduces Air Mail Act
Black, Hugo	1935	presses 30-hour workweek
Black, Hugo	1935	investigation of business lobbyists
Black, Hugo	1935	fights for prevailing wage in relief bill
Black, Hugo	1935	Filibustered the Costigan-Wagner antilynching bill
Black, Hugo	1937	introduces Fair Labor Standards bill
Black, Hugo	1937	Advocates FDR's court packing scheme
Black, Hugo	1937	appointed to SC by FDR; assailed for former KKK membership
Black, Hugo	1944	Writes majority opinion upholding Japanese internment camp in SC case
Black, Hugo	1954	Joined the unanimous decisions to end segregation in schools w/ Brown v. Board of Education
Black, Hugo	1972	Resigns from the SC, dying a few days later

[vcczar]

This was a hard vote. In some ways, I find him favorable. I am also inclined to "forgive" racists who admit that they're wrong and then try to compensate for their misdeads. On this logic, I'll also forgive Sen. Robert Byrd when we get to him. However, he issued the majority opinion in the internment case and filibustered an anti-lynching bill. I also don't like it when someone serves as SC justice for too long. He was on the court for 35 years!