MDW64e68 J8 CONTENTS Katzenbach, Hon. Nicholas de B., Attorney General of the United Conyers, Hon. John, Jr., a U.S. Congressman from the First Congres- Ryan, Hon. William F., a U.S. Congressman from the 20th Congres- sional District of the State of New York.. Stennis, Hon. John, a U.S. Senator from the State of Mississippi Coleman, James Plemon, nominee, to be a judge of the U.S. Fifth Alexander, Milnor, legislative secretary, Women's International 119 124 35 107 Cohen, David, legislative representative, Americans for Democratic 45 Gray, Victoria J., Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (statement 89 106 Lusky, Louis, professor of law, Columbia Law School.. 54 Mitchell, Clarence, director, Washington Bureau, National Associa- 32 Schiffman, Alan, Congress of Racial Equality. EXHIBITS Statement of Hon. Thomas G. Abernethy, a U.S. Representative from the Statement of Sherwood B. Wise, attorney at law, Jackson, Miss.-- Letter of June 15, 1959, addressed to Hon. James P. Coleman, Governor of Mississippi, from Hon. J. Edgar Hoover, Director, Federal Bureau of 143 Briefs of Washington Human Rights Project-- Statement of Andrew Hawkins, Mississippi Freedom Labor Union.... Letter signed by seven members of the Senate Judiciary Committee requesting that certain questions be directed to the nominee... Letter dated June 23, 1965, addressed to Hon. James O. Eastland, from the Standing Committee on Federal Judiciary of the American Bar Asso- Resolution adopted June 26, 1965, by the Mississippi State Bar- Biographical sketch of James P. Coleman.. Letter dated July 16, 1965, addressed to Hon. James O. Eastland, from Hon. Nicholas deB Katzenbach and submitting a certain list of enacted Letter dated June 28, 1965, addressed to Hon. James O. Eastland, from Page Statement of Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. An act to rive effect to the resolution of interposition, as adopted by the E NOMINATION OF JAMES P. COLEMAN MONDAY, JULY 12, 1965 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee (composed of Senators Ervin, Eastland, and Hruska) met, pursuant to notice, at 10:40 a.m., in room 2300, New Senate Office Building, Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr., presiding. Present: Senators Ervin, Eastland (chairman of the full committee), and Hruska. Also present: Senators Stennis, Hart, Kennedy of Massachusetts, and Javits. Also present: Joseph A. Davis, chief clerk of the committee. (Present at this point: Senators Eastland, Ervin, Kennedy of Massachusetts, Hruska, and Javits.) Senator ERVIN. The subcommittee will come to order. of The hearing this morning has been scheduled for the purpose considering the nomination of James P. Coleman, of Mississippi, to be U.S. circuit judge for the fifth circuit, vice Ben F. Cameron, deceased. Notice of this hearing was published in the Congressional Record, June 22, 1965, rescheduled July 7, 1965. Senator Stennis, by formal notification, approves the nomination. Senator Eastland, by formal notification, approves the nomination. By letter dated June 23, 1965, the Standing Committee on Federal Judiciary of the American Bar Association states its members are unanimously of the opinion that the nominee is well qualified for the appointment. By resolution adopted June 26, 1965, by the Mississippi State Bar, the nomination is approved and endorsed. (Letter and resolution are as follows:) AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION, STANDING COMMITTEE ON FEDERAL JUDICIARY, Boston, Mass., June 23, 1965. Re James P. Coleman, Ackerman, Miss. Chairman, United States Senate Judiciary Committee, New Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR EASTLAND: Thank you for your telegram affording this committee an opportunity to express an opinion or recommendation pertaining to the nomination of James P. Coleman, of Ackerman, Miss., for appointment as U.S. circuit judge for the fifth circuit. The members of our committee are unanimously of the opinion that Governor Coleman is well qualified for this appointment. With best wishes. Sincerely yours, ROBERT W. MESERVE, Chairman. 1 RESOLUTION Whereas, the Honorable J. P. Coleman has been nominated for membership on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; and Whereas the Honorable J. P. Coleman has a particularly distinguished record as a district prosecuting attorney, as a circuit judge, as a member of the Mississippi Supreme Court, as attorney general, as Governor, and as an outstanding practicing attorney; and Whereas the Honorable J. P. Coleman is possessed of those qualities and abilities which singularly equip him to render valuable service as a member of the court of appeals and to make a significant contribution to the administration of American justice: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Mississippi State Bar in convention assembled, That it hereby approves and endorses the nomination of the Honorable J. P. Coleman for membership on said court of appeals, and it respectfully urges the U.S. Senate promptly to vote its confirmation of said nomination; be it further Resolved That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. Senate. I, Alice Nevels, executive director, secretary-treasurer, of the Mississippi State Bar, certify that the foregoing constitutes a true, perfect, and correct copy of a certain resolution unanimously adopted by the Mississippi State Bar in annual convention duly convened assembled and held in the city of Biloxi, Harrison County, Miss., on the 26th day of June 1965, as the same appears in the convention minutes of the Mississippi State Bar of which I am official custodian. Certified this 26th day of June 1965 ALICE NEVELS, Executive Director, Secretary-Treasurer. (At this point in the proceedings Senator Hart entered the hearing room.) Senator ERVIN. Governor, there has been filed with the subcommittee a statement of a biographical nature concerning you, and I do not know whether you have a copy of it there or not. Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. Chairman, I do have a copy of it before me. Seneator ERVIN. I would like to ask you this question, whether or not you have examined that copy and whether it is correct. Mr. COLEMAN. It is correct sir. Senator ERVIN. Then the copy of the biographical statement will be placed in the record at this point. (Mr. Coleman's biographical sketch follows:) Name: Coleman, James Plemon. Born: January 9, 1914, Choctaw County, Miss. Education: University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss., September 25, 1932, to June 1934, liberal arts student; September 1934 to December 1934, law school student; January 31, 1935 to February 22, 1939, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., LL.B. degree. Bar: 1937, Mississippi. Experience: January 3, 1935 to January 1940, secretary to Congressman Aaron L. Ford of Mississippi, Washington, D.C.; 1937 to 1940, private practice of law, Ackerman, Miss.; January 1, 1940 to October 1, 1946, district attorney for Fifth Circuit Court, District of Mississippi; January 1, 1947 to September 1950, circuit judge for Fifth Circuit Court, District of Mississippi; July 11 to October 19, 1950, commissioner of Supreme Court of Mississippi; October 1950 to 1956, attorney general of Mississippi; January 1956 to January 1960, Governor of Mississippi; January 1960 to January 1964, member of Mississippi Legislature; 1960 to 1965, private practice of law, Ackerman, Miss.; and present, Jackson, Miss. Marital status: Married-one son. Office: Suite 1111-15, Deposit Guaranty Bank Building, Jackson, Miss. To be U.S. circuit judge for the fifth circuit. Senator ERVIN. Governor, I have just been apprised of the fact that the Attorney General is here. Attorney General KATZENBACH. Yes, Mr. Chairman. |