Demetrius Newton

Demetrius Newton
Member of the Alabama House of Representatives
from the 53rd district
In office
1987 – September 11, 2013
Succeeded byAlann Johnson
Speaker pro tempore of the Alabama House
In office
1998–2010
Succeeded byVictor Gaston
Personal details
Born(1928-03-15)March 15, 1928
Fairfield, Alabama, U.S.
DiedSeptember 11, 2013(2013-09-11) (aged 85)
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materWilberforce University
Boston University School of Law
Military service
AllegianceUnited States Army
Branch/service325th Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division
Years of service1952-1954
RankPrivate First Class

Demetrius Caiphus Newton (March 15, 1928 – September 11, 2013) was an American civil rights attorney and politician. He filed lawsuits to end segregation, and represented Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and others in cases related to civil rights. He then served in the Alabama House of Representatives, representing the 53rd district, from 1986 to his death in 2013. He became the first Black speaker pro tempore in the history of the Alabama House, serving in the role from 1998 through 2010.