Oliver Hill Research Paper

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Oliver Hill became a strong supporter of equality. Equality is the state of being the same in number, race, class, or quality. Oliver Hill grew up in Richmond, Virginia on May 1, 1907. Graduating from Dunbar High School, Hill wasn't sure what he wanted to do for a living. He married a woman named Beresenia Walker. They later had a son named Oliver White Hill Jr. in 1949. Oliver Hill Jr. recalls how emotionally moving and inspirational King’s ‘Dream’ speech was to his father, who was at Washington to witness it himself along with 250,000 people of all diversities. It wasn’t until Hill’s deceased uncle’s law books were given to him that Hill got the interest in equal rights and law. “That’s when I read the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, and I couldn’t understand why they didn’t include segregation laws,” states Hill while looking back on why he became so intrigued by segregation. He then knew he wanted to be a lawyer when he realized the best way to fight for African Americans to have equal rights is through the law. Hill pursued his dream by graduating Howard University School of Law in 1933. Hill graduated with a friend, Thurgood Marshall, who would later help Hill with cases that dealt with segregation. Marshall graduated first in the …show more content…

After hearing that students left R.R. Moton High School because of the terrible conditions, Hill became part of the Davis v. County School board of Prince Edward County. Hill and Marshall joined the Davis v. County School Board case which was one of the five cases that won the Brown vs. Board case to get rid of the idea of “separate but equal.” The idea of “separate but equal” was set by the Plessy vs Ferguson case and the Jim Crow Laws. Over time many threats were made at Hill including hoe phone call threats and a burning cross in his own card. Hill continued to pursue his