WILMINGTON, Del. – In celebration of Black History Month, U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper and U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (all D-Del.), along with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), introduced a resolution to honor Louis Lorenzo Redding, the first African-American attorney to pass the Delaware Bar in 1929.

“For 55 years, Louis L. Redding fought for the civil rights of all Delawareans. As the first African American admitted to the Delaware Bar, Redding played an integral role in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education, and many others,” said Senator Coons. “I am honored to introduce this resolution to recognize the life and work of a great attorney and even better man whose dedication to equality and justice made Delaware a better state and America a better nation.”

“Louis L. Redding dedicated his life to ending discrimination and promoting equality and justice for all Americans.” said Senator Carper. “This resolution shines a light on Mr. Redding’s incredible life, and reminds us that his significant contributions to our state and our nation must never be forgotten. I am pleased to join Senator Coons and Congresswoman Blunt Rochester to introduce this resolution honoring Mr. Redding and the positive impact his work continues to have in Delaware and across the nation.”

“The oft-used phrase of ‘trailblazer’ is simply insufficient to describe Louis L. Redding. For over a quarter-century, Mr. Redding was the only non-white lawyer in the state of Delaware,” said Representative Blunt Rochester. “His work to desegregate schools at home and around the country made possible a better and brighter education for a new generation of American children. I’m pleased to join with my Delaware colleagues to share with the nation the Redding legacy we know so well in the First State.” 

“I am proud to join Senator Coons in honoring Louis Lorenzo Redding and his lifelong dedication to justice and equality,” said Senator Rubio. “After teaching English and serving as a Vice Principal at Fessenden Academy in Ocala, Florida, the oldest continually operated school for African American students in Florida, he became the only African American in his Harvard Law School class and the first to pass the Delaware bar exam, Redding used his skills on the biggest judicial stage in our nation, arguing cases in front of the Supreme Court that included the landmark Brown v. Board of Education. His leadership on civil rights and as an advocate for school desegregation shaped the lives of generations of Americans, and his life serves as an example to all those who fighting for freedom, equality, and justice.”

“I wish to express sincere gratitude for this resolution honoring the legacy of Louis Lorenzo Redding. Like the First State - Delaware, my father was Distinctive and First,” said JB Redding, on behalf of the family of Louis L. Redding. “As the first African American Attorney in Delaware, he used stalwart determination and rigorous intellect to hew out a wide, ascending, just and inclusive stairway. We in the Redding line are among a multitude of beneficiaries climbing because of the work of ‘Lawyer Redding.’ Yet the family witnessed his most arduous labor after the victories in the highest courts of the land. My father understood that the legal triumphs would be hollow, unless they were followed by full implementation. We are hopeful that the history shared in this resolution will inspire the next generation of standard bearers for equal justice. Again, thank you Senator Coons for the honor of this resolution and for your consistent, insistent voice calling for liberty and justice FOR ALL.”

“It is with enormous gratitude that I add my voice to support Senator Coons' Resolution honoring the life and work of Mr. Redding,” said Judge Gregory Sleet. “I am the first, and, to date, only, African American to serve as a United States Judge for or from the District of Delaware. By the dint of his example, I, and every Delaware judge or lawyer of color, past and present, are in a very real sense directly linked to him. Louis L. Redding planted the seed; indeed, he was the acorn from which we sprouted and thrive today.” 

“By any standards, Louis L. Redding, Esq. is one of America's greatest treasures. While Attorney Redding is venerated for his works to transform the landscape of civil rights and education in Delaware, his critical role in shaping the strategy for the landmark Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education and Burton v. Wilmington Parking Authority also transformed civil rights and education nationally,” said Wali Rushdan, Esquire. “Every American should know the name Louis L. Redding, Esquire and his remarkable contributions to our society. I applaud Senator Chris Coons and his staff for their leadership in advancing this resolution on the floor of the United States Senate so that all Americans can know and understand why Attorney Redding stands shoulder to shoulder with the greatest of our American heroes.”

As detailed in the resolution, Louis L. Redding made countless notable contributions to society during his career. In 1950, Redding served as the lead attorney in Parker v. University of Delaware, the case that desegregated the University of Delaware. He argued two U.S. Supreme Court cases that that were related to equal opportunities for African Americans: one of the five cases that was consolidated into the U.S. Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education and the case of Burton v. Wilmington Parking Authority, which forbid a private entity from discriminating on the basis of race if the State approved, encouraged, or facilitated the relevant private conduct. Throughout his lifetime, Redding broke down barriers and paved the way for African-American lawyers both locally and nationally.

Text of the resolution is available here.

###