Archibald Carey, Jr

Archibald J. Carey, Jr was an African-American lawyer, judge, politician, diplomat and clergyman from the south side of Chicago. He was an alderman for many years under the patronage of powerful African-American politician William L. Dawson. For many years Judge Carey was a major figure in Chicago's political and religious life. He won numerous awards for his oratorical skills and contribution to civic improvement.

Carey was a native of Chicago where he attended Wendell Phillips High School. He was also a graduate of John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He was twice elected to serve as an alderman from Chicago's Third Ward and served from 1947 to 1955. Mr. Carey served as an alternate delegate from the United States to the United Nations from 1953 to 1956. Judge Carey was appointed Chair of the President's Committee on Government Employment Policy by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on August 3, 1957. He was the first African-American to hold this position. He became a Circuit Court judge in 1966, serving until 1978 when he was forced by law to retire from the bench at 70 years of age. Despite this, he was reappointed to serve another year because of the court's large caseload. He also served as pastor of Quinn Chapel AME Church in Chicago and was named pastor emeritus of the church in 1967.

Carey was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African Americans. [ Wesley, Charles H.: "The History Of Alpha Phi Alpha, A Development In College Life", pages 341 and 344. Fourteenth Printing, Foundation Publishers, Chicago, Illinois, 1981.]

According to many sources, Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, was plagiarized from Casey's speech from 1952 at the Republican convention.

He died on April 21, 1981 in Chicago.

Notes and references

* Bitter Fruit: Black Politics and the Chicago Machine, 1931-1991, by William J. Grimshaw. University Of Chicago Press (1992) ISBN: 978-0226308937