American civil rights attorney and co-founder of Southern Poverty Law Center. Dees grew up in a family of farmers. While at the University of Alabama, he established a direct mail company with a specialty in book publishing.He attended the University of Alabama Law School. In 1960, law degree in hand, he opened a law office but maintained his business, Fuller and Dees Publishing Company. Nine years later, in 1969, he sold the company and reaped the financial rewards, in line with his 1967 vision to quit the corporate ladder and work on behalf of the civl rights movement. In June 1971 he and his law partner founded the Souther Poverty Law Center. Among his accomplishments are the 1969 integration of the Montgomery, AL YMCA, a successful 1981 law suit against the Ku Klux Klan and another successful lawsuit in 1987 against the United Klans of America and two successful suits agains Aryan groups in 1991 and 2001 . In 1991 he published his autobiography, “A Season for Justice” and in 1993 he released his second book, “Hate on Trial.” “Gathering Storm,” his third book was published in 1996.
Dees has devoted many years to fighting poverty, establishing equal rights and equal justice for the underprivileged and the disadvantaged by class or race and fighting hate crimes. He has received a large number of honorary degrees and humanitaran awards. His accomplishments have brought him threats from those who wish to perpetuate discrimination, hatred, injustce and poverty. Dees has been fnance director for two Democratic candidates for high office. In 1972 he raised millions for the party’s candidate, George McGovern. Four years later, he was named President Carter’s national finance director (1976) and in 1980 he served as national finance chairman for Ted Kennedy’s Presidential bid.
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