Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke delivered remarks at the Stephen J. Pollak Memorial Event on May 24, 2024, reflecting on the life and legacy of Steve Pollak.
Clarke began by referencing Oliver Wendell Holmes' aspiration to "live greatly in the law," emphasizing that Pollak not only lived greatly but also inspired others. She highlighted Pollak's significant contributions, particularly his role in advancing civil rights.
In 1962, as an assistant to Solicitor General Archibald Cox, Pollak worked with Attorney General Robert Kennedy to facilitate James Meredith's enrollment at the University of Mississippi. Clarke recounted Pollak’s deployment to Selma, Alabama, following the Bloody Sunday attacks on peaceful protesters. His mission was to ensure compliance with a federal court order allowing demonstrators to march to Montgomery.
Pollak played a central role in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He helped negotiate the final draft bill with Senators Mike Mansfield and Everett Dirksen, meticulously ensuring nothing significant was omitted.
From 1965 to 1967, Pollak served as first assistant to Assistant Attorney General John Doar and later ran the Civil Rights Division as a special assistant to the Attorney General. In January 1968, he was confirmed as Assistant Attorney General at age 39.
Pollak's tenure saw him pushing for aggressive responses to police brutality and redefining Justice Department policies. He also held advisory roles under President Lyndon B. Johnson and contributed significantly in private practice through pro bono work and Bar activities.
Clarke noted that even after leaving government service, Pollak continued his civil rights advocacy. Notably, he argued before the Supreme Court in cases such as University of Texas v. Camenisch (1981) and Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education (1971).
Reflecting on her time working with Pollak at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Clarke emphasized his ongoing commitment to fighting voting discrimination and supporting election protection efforts.
At a celebration marking the Civil Rights Division’s 65th Anniversary in December 2022, Pollak remarked: “I did not do it alone. I served with great people in the division…These are great laws that you are enforcing, and they need everything that you can give them.”
The memorial event included panel discussions moderated by Paul Hancock and Jon Greenbaum featuring colleagues who worked with Pollak and addressed his post-division civil rights work. Dorothy Landsberg narrated a slide show highlighting key moments from his career.
Clarke concluded by expressing hope that the program would inspire renewed dedication to equal justice.
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