What an incredible life. Ms. Roundtree's life she be taught in every history class in elementary schools.
An inspiration to all women and all African Americans.
16
What an immensely inspiring story. Whether its bringing people to God or saving people from the laziness and depravity of illegitimate prosecution she was always a humble servant doing God’s work. Thank you for sharing Ms. Roundtree’s history.
9
A wonderfully told inspiring story.
6
Raymond Crump went on to a career of crime and incarceration. There are good reasons to think that the KGB hired him to murder Mary Meyer. Search http://www.scientiapress.com/kgb-mary-meyer .
2
My husband graduated from a North Carolina "colored" high school in 1951 and moved immediately to D.C where he worked for two years. He says he does not recall segregated public restrooms in D.C. or city buses then. Were the federal courts in D.C. still segregated in 1965 when Ms. Roundtree won her murder case?
5
wow! what an amazing life. R.I.P.
5
Thank you for this obituary of a righteous black female attorney. We should all hope to accomplish even half as much as Davey Johnson Roundtree.
7
Clearly one of the five most important women in American history. I am humbled.
7
What an extrodinary woman! I am shocked by how little I know about African-American history. Please keep publishing these articles
6
Thank you for this obituary. Like other black women that posted, I never heard of her before today. That said, she will be added to the list of black women that came before me and inspire me to keep pushing and working hard. My growing list of "If it wasn't for her . . . I would not be/have, etc., etc."
I have been going back and forth about going to Grad School in my 40's. Ms. Roundtree practiced law until her 80's, I can get back to school.
Thank you Ms. Roundtree.
11
Thank you for this obituary. A fine tribute for a real hero!
5
A profile in faith and courage. Inspiring. RIP, Ms. Roundtree.
13
As a black woman attorney, I am both humbled and embarrassed by my lack of knowledge of Ms. Roundtree's legacy. I owe every debt to her and so many others who have come before me. Thank you, also, to the Times for continuing to shine a light on the countless contributions of so many black women who toiled quietly, enduring more than I believe I ever could. Because of them, we can.
22
Thank you for the information about this tremendous, pioneering black woman of God. I say, how could I never have known of her before? The answer’s been given. I am so grateful to know of this life, lived well. Thank you, NYT.
16
My GOD! What a fabulous human being. The world needs more women like Dovey Johnson Roundtree. Her name should be common knowledge for all freedom loving people.
22
Amazing woman! People like Dovey Johnson Roundtree make America great! I really appreciate the opportunity to learn about her contributions. She is an inspiration as are her parents.
3
This is one of the few hopefully articles I’ve read this year. I salute the courage and example of Ms. Roundtree. Where are the women of her caliber today?
3
I think one of the reasons she’s less famous than her accomplishments would seem to warrant is that Crump was, in all likelihood, guilty. Kinda makes the story a little less appealing.
1
And exactly WHAT are you basing that conclusion on? Can you cite to me the evidence? Because he was a black man found near a dead body? Geez
2
You know that's nonsense. Even a casual reading of the reports and books lay out for anyone with half a brain that he was innocent. Yes there are one or two articles and one book that make the case he was guilty. The large percentage say it wasn't possible and he didn't do it. The victim was murdered by a professional gunman. Her husband was CIA! Crump not only didn't own a gun but he had zero training.
Please research responsibly.
7
please present the evidence for your statement.
4
What a wonderful tribute to a beautiful life! It moved me to tears.
I went to law school many decades ago, influenced by JFK’s “Profiles In Courage” and Irving Brant’s “The Bill of Rights: Its Origin and Meaning,” and took a first job as a deputy public defender in a rural California county. Thirty-four years later, I’m still here.
I am awed by the life story of Ms. Roubdtree, and humbled to be a member of the profession she dedicated so much of her life to. I hope her story will inspire waves of young people to strive to heal our democracy after we emerge from the current nightmare.
Thank you so much for this article!
14
Any comment I might make would just be an understatement compared to this life lived well statement.
9
When I started out as a municipal prosecutor in 1987, I remember an elderly black gentleman who appeared in my courtroom as a defense counsel. I only saw him once, but thought about his apparent age, the dignity and grace with which he carried himself, and what it must have been like for him to make it as an attorney "in his day" and in "those days." All the abuse. I thought of this, as in 1987, as a white female, I was often spoke to in derogatory terms, or patronizing terms by defense counsel. (Yes, one young guy called me by the "c" word, too, although not in open court. The older guys called me "honey" and "dearie" and expected me to dismiss cases, I thought because they thought I was their child or grandchild and shouldn't be talking back, or saying "no.")
In any event, Ms. Roundtree's obituary encompasses all and more of what I imagined must have been a tough haul for that elderly attorney, and for what I experienced 30+ years ago. What an inspiring woman. Talk about having spine! This is what tough means.
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If there is a Pulitzer Prize for obituary writing, Margalit Fox’s story about Dovey Johnson Roundtree, a great American, deserves it.
10
An amazing Woman. Thank you for all you have done to make our lives better. God Bless and RIP
5
I met Dovey in 1974, and and admired her deeply.
Perhaps it had something to do with the placement of the nation's capital in the South, because only there could Americans from all regions observe that the USA had been evolving for centuries a culture of racial mixing ... and that the bipolar definition of race as "Black" or "White" had nothing whatsoever to do with the slowly-growing evolution, called "colorism", that slavery and slave-owning had actually created.
That reality was not apparent to the "free" states of the north and the west. Dovey's recognition that the inequality of male and female was a parallel to the inequality of black and white was rooted in that knowledge. Her recognition that incremental steps plus time were evolving the solution was impressive. She was amazing in every way.
9
Thank you from the bottom of my heart and may you Rest In Peace.
4
Everyone should know about this woman. Most of us should have known years ago. What a hero.
10
Fascinating and inspiring woman ... what a life!
5
Thank you for this life story. Ms. Roundtree is an inspirational figure.
5
An excellent rendering of the life of a truly remarkable American woman.
4
Rest in peace, my Spelman sister. Thank you for your contributions to humanity.
8
Thank you so much for this moving and informative obituary of an American heroine. It's unfortunate that Ms. Roundtree didn't get the recognition she deserved but not surprising. So many people want to pretend the terrorism of the Jim Crow years didn't happen, so why would they recognize someone who fought against it. And as a Black woman, Ms. Roundtree was the least likely to get any recognition.
Luckily for everyone, Ms. Roundtree wasn't interested in recognition. She did her work, saved some lives, changed even more and made America a better place for everyone. God bless her and may she rest in peace.
52
Thank you NYT for sharing such an amazing & inspirational life story.
31
What an incredibly inspiring woman. Her intelligence and fortitude under pressure deserves to be more well-known by younger generations.
39
One of our national treasures.
Rest in Power, Ms. Roundtree.
33
We need to hear this story more than ever in 2018. The law is more valuable than any other career path for people of color to help to fix what this country has come to in the hands of Trump. I hope that this incredible lawyer's legacy will be celebrated and inspire more people of color to enter the legal profession. I additionally hope that this story will help to inspire us to move forward in the face of hate, and seek out legal council resources for disenfranchised members of our communities.
36
Coming from where she started her life to where she ended it I am in awe of her. Humble humane empathy is the ultimate enduring humane human moral virtue.
Being both black and female in America was historically and presently doubly bedeviling. Her relative exceptional success while aspirational and inspirational only magnifies the average injustice of human ability. Being a twice as good super Negro credit to your race was not fair nor just.
18
Why an uplifting story in these days of bad, bad news. Ms. Roundtree exemplifies the true meaning of a Christian and EVERY generous-of-self person of any religion or non-religion. May her memory and dedication to fellow humans be always remembered in the history of this country. Heaven has a new special angel to look upon people of kindred spirits.
23
Wow! I love history and I love to hear about amazing women! I am embarrassed that I have never heard of Ms. Roundtree. Will definitely purchase the book to learn more about her amazing life and her contribution to justice, civil rights and America. This is why I am a subscriber of the NY Times since high school. I would not have heard about her in any other publication. Keep up the good work!
27
Truly phenomenal writing by Margalit Fox. It was a century. The outstanding revelation from Margalit's engrossing writing is this passage, which demonstrates the entire absurdity of the racism of the time:
"Ms. Roundtree’s defense, which hinged partly on two forensic masterstrokes, made her reputation as a litigator of acuity, concision and steel who could win even the most hopeless trials. And this in a case for which she had received a fee of one dollar — and in a courthouse where she was not allowed to use the law library, cafeteria or restroom."
This was merely 53 years ago. In our nation's capital.
Ours is a tortuous history of discrimination that we need to remember. I salute Ms. Roundtree.
59
As an African American woman I am ashamed that I am learning about this inspiring woman For the first time.
Thank you for your journey. The country is a better place because of you
81
As a white woman lawyer I am ashamed that I am just now learning about this amazing and inspiring woman. CEF, I echo all of your comments.
34
I am too. What hurts me more is that I am a graduate of Howard University School of Law and I did not hear about her there over thirty-five years ago. We heard about all of the mail pioneers however.
27
It baffles me that until this article, I never heard of Ms. Roundtree. I was unaware of the case of Sarah Keyes v. Carolina Coach, as well as the case involving Raymond Crump. Ms. Roundtree is a historic icon. My condolences to her family on the loss of an outstanding and amazing woman.
61
Thanks for the history lesson of an incredible woman. Hopefully, more "forgotten" woman will be lauded before they pass from memory.
43
Rev. Roundtree is truly an American hero. Thank you for this fine story and tribute to a brave and brilliant woman. The Obamas might do well to produce a documentary about her.
54
An amazing story of forgotten worth. It was just yesterday that I was talking to my 18 yo grandson about the wonderful series that the NYT had started. The intent was to commemorate women of long ago who had achieved greatness in various fields by posting their accomplishments on their newly minted obituaries. If not for the Times, most of these women would have been unknown to our collected history. Bravo, NYT!
5
What an amazing woman. Ms. Roundtree and her life's work should be celebrated. Her accomplishments are huge and impactful. How is it that I am just reading her life story now?
34
Parallels to Pauli Murray--there's a wonderful recent biography of her by Rosalind Rosenberg, "Jane Crow."
23
Thank you for this beautiful obituary about a true American hero. Ms. Roundtree represents the very best of our fragile and flawed species. Flights of angels.
61
Thank you Ms. Dovey Johnson Roundtree for tearing down a major barrier! I so very grateful to know how you made a difference. I remember my grandmother taking me with her when I was 8 years to help clean white peoples houses in Cincinnati, Ohio in the early 1960s. She wanted to make sure I knew there was another way to succeed. Thank you paving me and countless other Black men and women.
41
Ah, Ms Fox, what an extraordinary tour de force. Having two years to research and write in advance of this extraordinary woman's death was certainly a privilege, I'm sure. This woman's photo should be emblazoned in all schools as yet another example for children and adults to emulate. Growing up with loss, terror and uncertainty is not always a curse. It would be fascinating to know what contributed to her strength and clearness of vision.
41
Amazing story, about possibly one of the most extraordinary Americans I've never heard of. Margalit Fox has written a fine report of Dovey Johnson Roundtree, which includes:
"“As a woman, and as a woman of color in an age when black lawyers had to leave the courthouse to use the bathrooms, she dared to practice before the bar of justice and was unflinching,” Katie McCabe, the co-author of Ms. Roundtree’s memoir, “Justice Older Than the Law,” said in an interview for this obituary in 2016. “She was a one-woman Legal Aid Society before people used that term.”
So there is a biography already, I hope there will be a movie.
David Lindsay Jr. is the author of "The Tay Son Rebellion, Historical Fiction of Eighteenth-century Vietnam," and blogs at TheTaySonRebellion.com and InconvenientNews.wordpress.com
24
We lost a Giant.
38
@Warren Daniels, “We lost a giant”. In reference to the passing of 104 year old, Ms. Dovey Johnson Roundtree, I agree she was a Giant, a sequoia in the forest of history, but somehow disappeared from us for a while. Thank you, Margalit Fox for re-presenting Dovey to many of us for the very first time, and at such a crucial time for fresh blood to take up her work with her well modeled spirit & courage to confront the current culture’s meanness and duplicity. I say, thank you God for giving America Dovey Johnson Roundtree to us (on loan from you, God) for 104 years! May she now Rest In Peace. Oprah, if you are listening....
4
I missed a line in my previous comment. It should read paved the way. Thank you and rest in peace Ms. Dovey Johnson Roundtree!
14
Hero.
28
Until I read the Times obituary, Dovey Johnson Roundtree was someone I did not know about. What a woman.
38
Thanks for this wonderful story about a phenomenal woman. Thank God for women like her.
39
This comes too late, but I am grateful for the Rev. Roundtree for her work. We have benefitted from her life-long pursuit of truth, justice, and spiritual succor for those in need, and we are diminished by her death.
44
A big thank you to the NYT and Ms. Fox for this wonderfully researched and beautifully written obituary about a very special woman that history should remember. As I read this, it occurred to me that it outlines a wonderful documentary. I wonder if it is on the radar of Netflix and the Obamas. If not, it should be. Just sayin' . . .
106
AGREED! We all need to know about her and what made her so clearsighted and courageous.
30
Now THAT'S a life well-lived, dedicated to serving the "least of my brothers" and sisters--a Christian truly living out her faith's admonitions. Rest well, Ms. Roundtree.
49
In this age of injustices, bigotry, hatred, and venom, I often turn off the news and want to bury my mind in frivolous pursuits. All because I cannot deal with the awful things that seem to be everyday fare in America. This article about this courageous black woman puts me to shame. God speed, Mrs. Roundtree.
56
The Legal Aid Society started in 1876. Ms. Roundtree was a leader and a follower of her/our history. Thank you for the obit. If we forget we will repeat.
29
What an inspiring person. Please keep publishing these stories. Seeing the lives of these women, who endured and made great strides, heartens me to keep doing the same.
71