Factors Shaping Hugo Black's Political and Judicial Philosophy
(Legal)

Introduction:

Justice Hugo Black returned to Birmingham in 1970 for his first publicized appearance since the Supreme Court's 1954 opinion in Brown v. Board of Education. He spoke of his Southern roots, his family's Irish heritage involving the "Emmet Rebellion," and his Alabama friends, including Federal Judge Frank M. Johnson, whom Black described as "a fighter for the things he believes in" as was "true of Robert Emmet." He concluded by remembering old friends and even the Populists of Clay County who were active when he grew up.

Questions:

1.  The subtitle of Hugo Black of Alabama is "How His Roots and Early Career Shaped the Great Champion of the Constitution." What were some themes and experiences in his Alabama years that seem to influence Black as a champion of constitutional law, especially the Bill of Rights?

2.  In what ways might his boyhood exposure to Clay County's Populists have influenced Black's general philosophy in law and politics?

3.  What were some of Black's earliest experiences with issues of individual rights and how did they seem to shape his philosophical outlook?

4.  Judge A.O. Lane was one of the early leaders of Birmingham and one of Black's mentors. How did Black's different teachers and mentors, including Lane, appear to have influenced his perspectives on law or politics?

5.  Black was a student of self-improvement for his entire life, and he read classical works of philosophy, government, and law across his Alabama days. How did this "book learning" influence his thinking? Was it as important in shaping his understanding of politics and of law as were his experiences as a lawyer and city judge?