Clarence B. Jones | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Jones in Geneva in 2013 | |
| Born | Clarence Benjamin Jones January 8, 1931 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Education | Palmyra High School |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, speechwriter, newspaper editor |
| Known for | Work and friendship with Martin Luther King Jr. |
| Movement | Civil Rights Movement |
| Relatives | Richard Schiff (stepson) |
Clarence Benjamin Jones (born January 8, 1931) is an American lawyer and the former personal counsel, advisor, draft speech writer and close friend of Martin Luther King Jr. He is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.[1][2] Jones is a scholar in residence at the Martin Luther King Jr. Institute at Stanford University. He is the author of What Would Martin Say? (HarperCollins, 2008) and Behind the Dream: The Making of the Speech that Transformed a Nation (Palgrave-Macmillan, 2011).[3] His book Last of the Lions was released on August 1, 2023 (Redhawk Publications). Jones currently[when?] serves as Chairman of the non-profit Spill the Honey Foundation.
In 1962, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote a letter recommending his lawyer and advisor, Clarence B. Jones, to the New York State Bar, stating: "Ever since I have known Mr. Jones, I have always seen him as a man of sound judgment, deep insights, and great dedication. I am also convinced that he is a man of great integrity."[4]
- ^ "President Biden Announces Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom". The White House. May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
- ^ Baker, Peter (2024-05-03). "Biden to Honor Prominent Democrats With Presidential Medal of Freedom". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
- ^ "Behind the Dream". Archived from the original on 2010-12-21. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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