The Griffin: volume 72, issue 13 - Feb. 8, 2002

              Campus honors memory of Martin Luther King, Jr. By Dave Hill News Reporter in Shorter, AL, in 1936. He attended the University of Alabama School of Law, earning his degree in 1960. While attending school in Alabama, Dees founded a nationwide direct mail sales company, called Fuller & Dees Marketing Group, PUBLIC RELATIONS Morris Dees will speak on civil rights at the Montante Cultural Center on Feb. 12 pursued the case. The SPLC article continues,"Dees uncovered a secret 1958 agreement between city officials and the YMCA giving the Y control of many of the recreational activities...." U.S. District Judge Prank Johnson ruled for the YMCA to end its discriminatory practices (because of the secret agreement). Another significant case won by Dees is most famous for a case he won against the Ku Klux Klan. In 1981, Klan members in Mobile, AL lynched an African-American man. Dees and his SPLC associates brought the mighty hand of the law down on the Klan, suing them for $7 million. Dees won several other cases against the Klan, severely hurting their financial capabilities. Another notable victory for Dees came in a civil suit in 1998. The $37.8 million verdict against the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan for burning the Macedonia Baptist Church in South Carolina was the "largest civil award ever won for damages in a verdict," according to Keppler Associates, the company that handles Dees' speaking engagements. Dees played a major role in the construction of the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, AL, which was dedicated in 1989. Dees, along with his partner, Levin, was Nixon v. Brewer, which resulted in the election of 17 black legislators to the Alabama statehouse. One of his first major cases was against the Montgomery, AL YMCA. In 1969, he filed a suit to halt the YMCA's use of racial discrimination. According to the SPLC website, "He knew the suit was a long shot because private organizations were considered to be beyond the scope of civil rights law." However, Dees Dees was born the son of a farmer and cotton gin operator The speech will take place on Tues., Feb. 12 at 8:15p.m. in the Montante Cultural Center, and is co-sponsored by the William H. Fitzpatrick Chair of Political Science. Admission is free and open to the public, and seating is limited. Doors open at 7:30p.m. Morris Dees is a renowned civil rights attorney famous for winning several lawsuits that resulted in bankrupting the Ku Klux Klan. Most notable of the events will be a speech by Morris S. Dees, chief counsel for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a non-profit organization based in Montgomery, AL, that he co-founded with fellow law partner, Joe Levin, in 1971. The SPLC focuses on civil rights violations, tolerance education programs, and the tracking of hate groups. In celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., several groups on campus will be sponsoring events and activities for students and faculty. which specialized in book publishing. Upon graduating from the University of Alabama, Dees opened a law office, still "All the things in my life that had brought me to this point, all the pulls and tugs of my conscience, found a singular peace. It did not matter what my neighbors would think, or the judges, the bankers, or even my relatives." In his biography Dees said of this decision," [I was ready] to speak out for my black friends who were still 'disenfranchised' even after the Voting Rights Act of 1965. As written in his biography, A Season for Justice: The Life and Times of Civil Rights Lawyer Morris Dees (with author Steve Fiffer), Dees was stuck in a Cincinnati airport in February of that year when he began reading The Story of My Life by Clarence Darrow (a very influential attorney of the early 20 century). At this moment, apparently, Dees decided that he wanted to use his law degree to combat discrimination. In 1968, Dees encountered a life-altering experience that aroused within him the desire to practice Civil Rights Law. As a result of this experience, Dees sold his company in 1969 to Times Mirror. maintaining his book publishing business. See MLK page 4 The Synchronized Swimming team opened their season at the Canisius Invitational last weekend. The Griffs swept all four first places in the event. For more, check out page 14. February is Black History Month and Canisius honors Martin Luther King, Jr. with its annual poetry contest. See pages 8 and 9 for contest winners. Martin Luther King's former right-hand man comes to the Montante Cultural Center to tell his tale. To find out more about when Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth visits, turn to page 2. Griffin editorial discusses how Dr. McDermott's legacy will live on in the college community. Also, enlighten yourself to a world of difference wih another Griffin editorial on page 6. Friday, February 8. 2002 Canisius College. Buffalo, NY Volume LXXII. Number 13 By David Hill News Reporter Canisius loses a respected friend, dean Friends and colleagues suffer great loss Professor of Eastern Religions for twenty-two years By Eric DuVall News Reporter The Canisius Community lost a true leader this past weekend as Dr. James P. McDermott, Dean of Arts and Sciences, passed away. He was 59 years old For those unfamiliar with the life and work of Dr. McDermott, the following is a biographical sketch of his life. GRIFFIN ARCHIVES The late Dr. James McDermott, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, will be sorely missed. Dr. James P. McDermott, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and former religious studies professor died unexpectedly Saturday evening at his home. He was 59 years old. Canisius President Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J. spoke about McDermott both as an administrator and as a person. "[He] was a great scholar and a fine human being," said Cooke. He went on to describe McDermott as a model to the mission of leadership and responsibility at Canisius. McDermott came to Canisius in 1977 as an assistant professor. He later became a full professor in 1985. He headed up the religious studies department for 10 years before taking his current post as Dean. "He was a very student oriented chair," said Rev. Benjarqin Fiore, S.J., current chair of religious studies. He was very kind and generous, as well. Dr. McDermott was highly involved in numerous committees while at Canisius. Before he became Dean, he It was in 1999 that Dr. McDermott became Dean McDermott, taking over as head of the College of Arts and Sciences, until his recent death. Courses he taught here included Buddhism, Intro, to Eastern Religions, Zen and the Meditative Life, Religious Experience of the East, and Religions of China. Seven years later, in 1977, Dr. McDermott arrived at Canisius to teach in the Religious Studies Department. He quickly worked his way up the ladder, beginning his career here as an Assistant Professor until 1980, when he became Associate Professor. Then, McDermott became Professor in 1985. He served as Acting Chair of the Religious Studies Department for one year before moving up to Chair in 1987, the position he held until 19%. After attaining his Doctoral degree, McDermott moved to Brunswick, Maine to teach at Bowdoin College as an Assistant Professor of Religion. Nelson said that there was a lot of work that McDermott was in the process of that will see a slight delay. "The new dean will be able to evaluate the [College announcement of an acting dean will be made later this week. Dr. Herb Nelson, Vice President of Academic Affairs has known McDermott since his arrival at Canisius. "We are losing a very excellent person," he said. No names have yet been mentioned to succeed McDermott as dean, according to Nelson. He expects the 1970 marked the year in which Dr. McDermott would first begin teaching. He received a position at Princeton University as an Assistant in Instruction. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Dean McDermott attended James Ford Rhodes High School, graduating in 1960. He moved on to attend Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT, earning his B A in Religion in 1964. Alter earning an M.Div. from Yale University in 1967, McDermott received both an M.A. (1969) and Ph.D. (1971) in the History of Religions at Princeton University. His primary field was Buddhism while Hinduism was McDermott's secondary field of study. see Dean's Life page 5 see Dean Passes page 4 / j I _ / | *** T "Servlngthe vL-171.- vl7FM 11 lftf c°nis.er,■?"""» INSIDE I m i mm 6 m & M s \mi\ t5 LIFE MAGAZINE Martin Luther King addresses a crowd on civil rights in Washington, D.C.