On behalf of the students, faculty and staff of Case Western Reserve University, we wish a happy 90th birthday to Fred Gray—civil rights icon, distinguished lawyer and 1954 graduate of the law school.
Born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, Gray left to study law at Case Western Reserve when no in-state law school would accept Black students. After graduating, he immediately used his degree to tear down the walls of a segregated America.
In a spectacular career that spanned more than six decades, Gray cemented his legacy alongside the very clients he represented, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.
He serves as an inspiration for all of us—a reminder that our ability to make an impact on the world around us is only limited by our willingness to fight for change. We are grateful to be a small part of his legacy.