George Edward Chalmer Hayes

George Edward Chalmers Hayes (July 1, 1894 – December 20, 1968) was a Washington, DC lawyer who defended Annie Lee Moss on March 11, 1954. He was the lead attorney in Bolling v. Sharpe (1954). In 1955 he became the first African American to serve on the District of Columbia Public Utilities Commission.[1]

George E. C. Hayes
George E. C. Hayes, Thurgood Marshall, and James Nabrit Jr. in 1954 winning Brown case
Born(1894-07-01)July 1, 1894
Richmond, Virginia
DiedDecember 20, 1968(1968-12-20) (aged 74)
Washington, DC
EducationBrown University (1915)
Howard University School of Law (1918)
Known forBolling v. Sharpe

Biography

He was born in Richmond, Virginia and graduated from Brown University in 1915, and then earned a law degree from Howard University School of Law in 1918. He taught at Howard University School of Law starting in 1924 while he maintained a private practice in the District of Columbia.

On March 11, 1954 he defended Annie Lee Moss.[2]

In 1954 with Spottswood William Robinson III, he was the lead counsel on Bolling v. Sharpe, the companion case to Brown v. Board of Education. Hayes argued that denying African American students the liberty to attend non-segregated schools violated due process. Bolling was decided under the Fifth Amendment's due process clause while Brown was decided under the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.

In 1955 he became the first African American to serve on the District of Columbia Public Utilities Commission.[3]

He died on December 20, 1968.[1][4]

References
  1. "George Hayes, 74, A Rights Lawyer. Argued School Segregation Case Before High Court". New York Times. December 21, 1968. Retrieved 2014-09-03.
  2. "Annie Moss". Washington Post. March 22, 1954. Annie Moss and her attorney, a Negro lawyer named George E.C. Hayes, did not accept this brushoff without protest. Hayes wrote each member of the subcommittee, noting that the Army has suspended her from her job. The Washington Daily News took up her case. While McCarthy was in Florida two weeks ago, the subcommittee agreed to give her the chance to defend herself. ...
  3. "Negro Nominated for Job in Capital. Hayes, Defender of Mrs. Moss in Security Hearing, Gets District Utilities Post". New York Times. February 13, 1955. Retrieved 2014-09-03. The Negro lawyer who successfully defended Annie Lee Moss against 'security risk' charges won a District of Columbia job nomination today from ...
  4. "George E.C. Hayes". Washington Post. December 24, 1968.
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