Bruce M. Wright
Encyclopedia
Bruce McMarion Wright was an American
jurist
and served on the New York State Supreme Court. Judge Wright is also the father of Geoffrey D.S. Wright a New York State Supreme Court Justice and Keith L.T. Wright a member of the New York State Assembly
in New York
, United States
.
. He spent his the majority of his adult life in Harlem, New York. He was awarded a scholarship to attend Princeton University
in 1939, but denied admission when the university learned that he was black. Wright was denied admission to Notre Dame
on the same grounds.
He studied at Virginia State University
, and graduated from Lincoln University
, in 1942.
He served in a U.S. Army, segregated medical unit. He volunteered for combat duty, being assigned to Company K, 16th Infantry Regiment
. After World War II
, he went AWOL, making his way to Paris, where he was befriended by Senegalese poet Leopold Senghor, who later became his country's first president.
Wright’s early ambition was to become a poet and was introduced and later became a friend of Langston Hughes
. Wright's first book of poetry, "From the Shaken Tower," was edited by Hughes and published in 1944. He studied at Fordham University Law School, and obtained his law degree from New York Law School.
Mayor
John V. Lindsay named him to the NYC Criminal Court bench in 1970. Judge Wright was critical of the judicial system and believed that race and class all too frequently determined the outcome of a trial. Appointed as the General Counsel for the Human Resources Administration in New York City, Wright served as a judge in New York's civil and criminal courts. He was elected to the New York State Supreme Court in 1982 and retired on Dec. 31, 1994.
Justice Wright spent 25 years on the bench in both criminal and civil cases, gaining a reputation as a scholarly and provocative jurist who sprinkled his opinions with literary quotations. He was the author of a 1987 book, Black Robes, White Justice, about the role of race in the judicial system, which won a 1991 American Book Award
. Later he authored his autobiography "Black Justice In A White World." Judge Wright suffered a heart attack in March 2000 and was made an honorary member of Princeton's 2001 Class, 65 years after his being denied admission because of his race.
Judge Bruce M. Wright denounced what he called racism in the criminal justice system and created a furor in the 1970s by setting low bail for many poor and minority suspects. He earned the nickname "Turn 'em loose Bruce" because of his low bail practices. In a lecture at Columbia University law school, in 1979, he said that a more appropriate name for him would have been "Civil" Wright. Bruce Wright died in his sleep on March 24, 2005, at his home in Old Saybrook, Connecticut at the age of 87. His wife, Elizabeth Davidson-Wright, announced his death.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
and served on the New York State Supreme Court. Judge Wright is also the father of Geoffrey D.S. Wright a New York State Supreme Court Justice and Keith L.T. Wright a member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Life
He was born Marion Bruce Wright in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in Borough of Princeton, New JerseyPrinceton Township, New Jersey
Also Princeton Borough is an independent municipality completely surrounded by the township.Princeton North is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Princeton Township....
. He spent his the majority of his adult life in Harlem, New York. He was awarded a scholarship to attend Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1939, but denied admission when the university learned that he was black. Wright was denied admission to Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
on the same grounds.
He studied at Virginia State University
Virginia State University
Virginia State University is a historically black and land-grant university located north of the Appomattox River in Chesterfield, in the Richmond area. Founded on , Virginia State was the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans...
, and graduated from Lincoln University
Lincoln University
Lincoln University or University of Lincoln or variations may refer to:in England*University of Lincolnin New Zealand*Lincoln University, New Zealandin the United States*Lincoln University...
, in 1942.
He served in a U.S. Army, segregated medical unit. He volunteered for combat duty, being assigned to Company K, 16th Infantry Regiment
16th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 16th Infantry Regiment is a regiment in the United States Army.-Formation:The 34th Infantry Regiment and 11th Infantry Regiment consolidated into the 16th Infantry Regiment on 3 March 1869. The 11th Infantry's history prior to the consolidation is normally included with the 16th's.-U.S...
. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he went AWOL, making his way to Paris, where he was befriended by Senegalese poet Leopold Senghor, who later became his country's first president.
Wright’s early ambition was to become a poet and was introduced and later became a friend of Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes
James Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance...
. Wright's first book of poetry, "From the Shaken Tower," was edited by Hughes and published in 1944. He studied at Fordham University Law School, and obtained his law degree from New York Law School.
Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
John V. Lindsay named him to the NYC Criminal Court bench in 1970. Judge Wright was critical of the judicial system and believed that race and class all too frequently determined the outcome of a trial. Appointed as the General Counsel for the Human Resources Administration in New York City, Wright served as a judge in New York's civil and criminal courts. He was elected to the New York State Supreme Court in 1982 and retired on Dec. 31, 1994.
Justice Wright spent 25 years on the bench in both criminal and civil cases, gaining a reputation as a scholarly and provocative jurist who sprinkled his opinions with literary quotations. He was the author of a 1987 book, Black Robes, White Justice, about the role of race in the judicial system, which won a 1991 American Book Award
American Book Award
The American Book Award was established in 1978 by the Before Columbus Foundation. It seeks to recognize outstanding literary achievement by contemporary American authors, without restriction to race, sex, ethnic background, or genre...
. Later he authored his autobiography "Black Justice In A White World." Judge Wright suffered a heart attack in March 2000 and was made an honorary member of Princeton's 2001 Class, 65 years after his being denied admission because of his race.
Judge Bruce M. Wright denounced what he called racism in the criminal justice system and created a furor in the 1970s by setting low bail for many poor and minority suspects. He earned the nickname "Turn 'em loose Bruce" because of his low bail practices. In a lecture at Columbia University law school, in 1979, he said that a more appropriate name for him would have been "Civil" Wright. Bruce Wright died in his sleep on March 24, 2005, at his home in Old Saybrook, Connecticut at the age of 87. His wife, Elizabeth Davidson-Wright, announced his death.