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Julian Bond

Julian Bond34 posts

Julian Bond gained national recognition as a civil rights activist, longtime board chairman of the NAACP and co-founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

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14 Jan, 1940

Julian Bond born in Nashville, TN

Birth0 Comments

Bond is born at Hubbard Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the son of Horace and Julia Bond. Julia is a former librarian at Clark Atlanta University. The family resides on campus at Fort Valley State College, where Horace is president. The Bond’s house is a frequent stop for scholars and activists and celebrities passing by. He has two siblings, James and Jane Margaret.

1952

Attends Quaker School

0 Comments

Bond attends the private Quaker-run George School near Philadelphia. He encounters racial resentment when he begins dating a white girl, incurring the disapproval of white students and the school authorities.

1960

Creates Atlanta University civil rights org

Directs1 Comments

Bond helps create the Atlanta University student civil rights organization, which directs several years of nonviolent protests and wins integration of Atlanta’s movie theaters, lunch counters and parks.

1961

Becomes SNCC communications director

Hire0 Comments

Julian Bond as communications directorBond becomes communications director of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a position he holds for five years. Its mission is to unite students in non-violent protest against segregation and other racist occurrences. He skillfully guides the national news media toward stories of violence and discrimination as the committee challenges legal segregation in the South’s public facilities during a time when mainstream media ignores what is happening to Blacks. He travels around Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas to help organize civil rights and voter registration drives.

1962

Takes MLK social philosophy course

Attends College0 Comments

Bond takes a social philosophy class at Morehouse College taught by King, one year before the civil rights leader would give his “I Have a Dream” speech in the nation’s capital.

A lot of people will tell you they are a student of Martin Luther King Jr. But Martin Luther King Jr. only taught one class in his lifetime. There were only eight students in that class. I was one of the eight.

1965

Sues Georgia legislature

Files Suit0 Comments

On three occasions, the white leaders of the Georgia legislature prevent Bond from taking his seat. The legislature claims it has the right to determine the qualifications of its members. Bond files suit, saying:

If they bar me again, I’ll sue them again.

1966

Rules to seat Bond

Judgement0 Comments

The United States Supreme Court rules 9–0 in the case of Bond v. Floyd (385 U.S. 116) that the Georgia House of Representatives had denied Bond his freedom of speech and was required to seat him. He serves four terms in the Georgia House, where he organizes the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.

1968

Nomitated for vice president

Drops out of race0 Comments

Bond leads a delegation to the Democratic National Convention, where he receives a nomination for the U.S. vice presidency, but he declines, saying he is too young.

1971

Founds SPLC

Founding0 Comments

Bond helps found the Southern Poverty Law Center, a public-interest law firm based in Montgomery, Alabama, and serves as its president for eight years and as an emeritus board member until his death.

1985

Arrest

Arrest0 Comments

Bond is arrested outside the South African Embassy in Washington D.C. for protesting apartheid.

1991

Becomes AU adjunct professor

Hired0 Comments

Bond becomes distinguished adjunct professor of government at American University’s School of Public Affairs. He teaches more than 500 students in an honors course focusing on the oral history of the civil rights movement, and an advanced study of the politics of civil rights.

After teaching at many fine schools, the students I am closest to are those I met and taught at SPA. We have developed lasting and continuing relationships.

1992

Becomes U. Virginia professor

Hired0 Comments

Bond joins the faculty of University of Virginia. Over 20 years he teaches more than 5,000 students about the Civil Rights Movement in the larger context of American history. He also leads numerous U.Va.-sponsored Civil Rights South Tours, giving his firsthand knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement.

Donates papers

Donation0 Comments

Bond donates correspondence to the Auburn Avenue Research Library in Atlanta. The collection covers the period from 1969 to 1996 and contains correspondence, organizational and institutional material related to the Voter Education Project, Political Associates, and The Southern Elections Fund, includes speeches, political ephemera, articles, poetry and a book written by Bond, as well as items relating to African American political life.