Thomas I. Atkins
Encyclopedia
Thomas Irving Atkins was an African American attorney and politician who served as a member of the Boston City Council
and General Counsel of the NAACP
.
to a Pentecostal minister and a domestic. As a child, he overcame a bout of polio. He was the first black student body president at Elkhart High School.
In 1960, he was elected student body president at Indiana University
. He was the school's first African American student body president as well as the first African American student body president in the Big Ten
. That same year he married Sharon Soash, a 1960 graduate of Indiana University who served as his campaign manager when he ran for student body president. The couple had to marry in Michigan because Indiana prohibited interracial marriage. Atkins graduated from Indiana in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in political science. In 1963 he earned a master's in Middle Eastern studies from Harvard University
. In 1969 he graduated from Harvard Law School
.
While at Harvard, Atkins served as executive secretary of Boston's NAACP office.
concert that was to be held that evening at the Boston Garden
and helped negotiate an agreement between White and Brown to have the concert televised by WGBH-TV
. White and Atkins hoped that televising the concert would keep angry and frustrated teenagers at home and prevent the looting and rioting that was occurring in other cities. The concert has been credited with preventing riots from breaking out in Boston.
In 1971
, Atkins ran for Mayor of Boston. He finished in fourth place with 11 percent of the vote.
On October 26, 1971, Atkins was appointed Secretary of Communities and Development by Governor
Francis W. Sargent
. He was sworn in on November 1, 1971, becoming the first African-American to serve as a state Cabinet Secretary.
.
On July 16, 1974 Atkins was named interim president of the Boston branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He was elected to a full two-year term on December 18, 1974. As a Boston's NAACP President, Atkins was a central figure during contentious battle over desegregation busing in Boston.
In addition to serving as President of the Boston branch, Atkins was also the NAACP's chief desegregation counsel nationally. In this capacity he was the chief counsel in organization's desegregation lawsuits in Youngstown, Ohio
, Columbus, Ohio
, Cleveland, and Milwaukee
In 1980, he succeeded Nathaniel R. Jones
as general counsel of the NAACP. In 1983, Atkins was named executive director of the NAACP by Chairperson Margaret Bush Wilson
. However, the organization's board of directors sided with suspended executive director Benjamin Hooks
and Hooks was reinstated. Atkins resigned as counsel in 1984 to return to private law practice.
Atkins died on June 27, 2008 from complications from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
.
Boston City Council
The Boston City Council is the legislative branch of government for the city of Boston. It is made up of 13 members: 9 district representatives and 4 at-large members. Councilors are elected to two-year terms and there is no limit on the number of terms an individual can serve...
and General Counsel of the NAACP
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
.
Early life
Atkins was born on March 2, 1939 in Elkhart, IndianaElkhart, Indiana
Elkhart is a city in Elkhart County, Indiana, United States. The city is located east of South Bend, northwest of Fort Wayne, east of Chicago, and north of Indianapolis...
to a Pentecostal minister and a domestic. As a child, he overcame a bout of polio. He was the first black student body president at Elkhart High School.
In 1960, he was elected student body president at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
. He was the school's first African American student body president as well as the first African American student body president in the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
. That same year he married Sharon Soash, a 1960 graduate of Indiana University who served as his campaign manager when he ran for student body president. The couple had to marry in Michigan because Indiana prohibited interracial marriage. Atkins graduated from Indiana in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in political science. In 1963 he earned a master's in Middle Eastern studies from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. In 1969 he graduated from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
.
While at Harvard, Atkins served as executive secretary of Boston's NAACP office.
Politics
Atkins was first elected to the Boston City Council in 1967. The day following the Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., Atkins convinced Mayor Kevin White not to cancel a James BrownJames Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
concert that was to be held that evening at the Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
and helped negotiate an agreement between White and Brown to have the concert televised by WGBH-TV
WGBH-TV
WGBH-TV, channel 2, is a non-commercial educational public television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WGBH-TV is a member station of the Public Broadcasting Service , and produces more than two-thirds of PBS's national prime time television programming...
. White and Atkins hoped that televising the concert would keep angry and frustrated teenagers at home and prevent the looting and rioting that was occurring in other cities. The concert has been credited with preventing riots from breaking out in Boston.
In 1971
Boston mayoral election, 1971
The Boston mayoral election of 1971 occurred on Tuesday, November 2, 1971 between Mayor Kevin White and United States Representative Louise Day Hicks. This was the second election in a row between White and Hicks...
, Atkins ran for Mayor of Boston. He finished in fourth place with 11 percent of the vote.
On October 26, 1971, Atkins was appointed Secretary of Communities and Development by Governor
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
Francis W. Sargent
Francis W. Sargent
Francis William Sargent was the 64th Governor of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975. Born in 1915 in Hamilton, Massachusetts, he was known for his sharp wit and self-deprecating manner...
. He was sworn in on November 1, 1971, becoming the first African-American to serve as a state Cabinet Secretary.
Legal career and NAACP
Atkins served as associate trial counsel for the plaintiffs in Morgan v. HenniganMorgan v. Hennigan
Morgan v. HenniganThe case that defined the school busing controversy in Boston, Massachusetts during the 1970s was Morgan v. Hennigan. On 14 March 1972 the Boston chapter of the NAACP filed a class action lawsuit against the Boston School Committee on behalf of 14 black parents and 44 children...
.
On July 16, 1974 Atkins was named interim president of the Boston branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He was elected to a full two-year term on December 18, 1974. As a Boston's NAACP President, Atkins was a central figure during contentious battle over desegregation busing in Boston.
In addition to serving as President of the Boston branch, Atkins was also the NAACP's chief desegregation counsel nationally. In this capacity he was the chief counsel in organization's desegregation lawsuits in Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Cleveland, and Milwaukee
In 1980, he succeeded Nathaniel R. Jones
Nathaniel R. Jones
Judge Nathaniel R. Jones has served as a lawyer, jurist, academic, and public servant. He was a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit before his retirement in March 2002...
as general counsel of the NAACP. In 1983, Atkins was named executive director of the NAACP by Chairperson Margaret Bush Wilson
Margaret Bush Wilson
Margaret Bush Wilson was an American activist. Wilson broke many barriers as an African-American woman throughout her professional career. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she successfully managed a St...
. However, the organization's board of directors sided with suspended executive director Benjamin Hooks
Benjamin Hooks
Benjamin Lawson Hooks was an American civil rights leader. A Baptist minister and practicing attorney, he served as executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People from 1977 to 1992, and throughout his career was a vocal campaigner for civil rights in the...
and Hooks was reinstated. Atkins resigned as counsel in 1984 to return to private law practice.
Later life
Atkins and his wife separated in 1984. The woud divorce four years later.Atkins died on June 27, 2008 from complications from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...
.