William Hastie
Hastie in 1941
Judge of United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
In office 1949–1971
Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands
In office 1946–1949
President	Harry S. Truman
Preceded by	Charles A. Harwood
Succeeded by	Morris Fidanque de Castro
Personal details
Born	(1904-11-17)November 17, 1904 Knoxville, Tennessee
Died	April 14, 1976(1976-04-14) (aged 71) East Norriton, Pennsylvania
Nationality	United States
Alma mater	Harvard Law School Amherst College
Occupation	Lawyer

William Henry Hastie, Jr. (November 17, 1904 – April 14, 1976) was an American, lawyer, judge, educator, public official, and advocate for the civil rights of African Americans. He was the first African-American to serve as Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, as a Federal judge, and as a Federal appellate judge.

Hastie was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, the son of William Henry Hastie, Sr. and Roberta Childs.^[1] His maternal ancestors were of African-American and Native American heritage, and family tradition mentioned that one female ancestor was a Malagasy princess.^[2] Hastie graduated first in his class, magna cum laude from Amherst College in Massachusetts, then earned a doctorate in juridical studies from Harvard Law School. He then became a professor at Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. During his tenure as a legal professor at Howard University, Hastie became a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity. One of his students there was future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. He also served as assistant solicitor for the Department of the Interior, advising the agency on racial issues.

In 1937, President Roosevelt appointed Hastie to the United States District Court for the Virgin Islands, making Hastie the first African-American Federal judge. This was a controversial move: Senator William H. King of Utah, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee called Hastie's appointment a "blunder."

Hastie served as a judge for two years. In 1939, he resigned from the court to become the Dean of the Howard University School of Law, where he had previously taught.

  Poster from Office of War Information. Domestic Operations Branch. News Bureau, 1943

During World War II, Hastie worked as a civilian aide to the Secretary of War Henry Stimson. He vigorously advocated the equal treatment of African Americans in the Army and their unrestricted use in the war effort.

In 1943, Hastie resigned his position in protest against racially segregated training facilities in the Army Air Force, inadequate training for African-American pilots, and the unequal distribution of assignments between whites and non-whites. That same year, he received the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP, both for his lifetime achievements and in recognition of this protest action.

This was expected to be the end of his government career. But in 1946, President Truman appointed Hastie territorial Governor of the U. S. Virgin Islands—the first African-American to hold this position. Hastie served as Governor from 1946 to 1949.

In 1949, Truman appointed Hastie to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit—the first African-American appellate judge. Hastie served on the Appellate Court for 22 years.

As the first and most distinguished African-American on the Federal bench, Hastie was considered as a possible candidate to be the first African-American Justice of the Supreme Court.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy considered appointing Hastie to succeed retiring Justice Charles Whittaker. But political calculations prevented Kennedy from making the appointment. On the one hand, an African-American appointee would have faced fierce opposition in the Senate from Southerners such as James Eastland (D-Mississippi), chairman of the Judiciary Committee. On the other hand, on issues other than civil rights, Hastie was considered relatively conservative, and Chief Justice Earl Warren reportedly opined that Hastie would be too conservative as a Justice. Kennedy appointed Byron White instead.

Kennedy remarked that he expected to make several more appointments to the Court in his presidency and that he intended to appoint Hastie to the Court at a later date.^[3]

In 1968, Hastie became Chief Judge of the Third Circuit. In 1971, after only three years, he stepped down as Chief Judge, and also took "senior status". Hastie died while playing golf in 1976. The Third Circuit Library in Philadelphia is named in his honor.

  See also

• John F. Kennedy Supreme Court candidates

  Notes

  Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: William H. Hastie

• Adams, Maurianne, Readings for diversity and social justice, Routledge, 2000, ISBN 0-415-92634-3
• Hastie's Selection Termed 'Blunder'. By the Associated Press. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Mar 2, 1937. pg. 17, 1 pg
• Negro Soldiers Defended. New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Oct 4, 1941. pg. 14, 1 pg
• ARMY AIDE QUITS; PROTESTS NEGRO PILOT TREATMENT. Chicago Daily Tribune. Chicago, Ill.: Feb 1, 1943. pg. 21, 1 pg
• Hastie Nominated For Governorship Of Virgin Islands. The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Jan 6, 1946. pg. M1, 2 pgs
• FEDERAL JUDGE DIES; SLAVE'S GRANDSON. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif.: Apr 15, 1976. pg. 8, 1 pg
• Judge William Hastie, 71, of Federal Court, Dies. New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Apr 15, 1976. pg. 36, 1 pg
• Vile, John R., Great American lawyers: an encyclopedia. A - I, Volume 1, ABC-CLIO, 2001, ISBN 1-57607-202-9

Governors of the U.S. Virgin Islands Naval (1917–1931) Pollock Oliver Oman Kittelle Hough Williams Trench W. Evans Civil (1931–1969) Pearson Herrick Cramer Lovett Harwood Hastie de Castro Alexander Claunch Gordon Merwin Paiewonsky King Elected (since 1969) M. Evans King Luis Farrelly Schneider Turnbull de Jongh