Emanuel Celler: Immigration and Civil Rights Champion with Wayne Dawkins
Join us for a conversation with author Wayne Dawkins about his new book, Emanuel Celler: Immigration and Civil Rights Champion.
Congressman Emanuel Celler, graduate of Columbia University and Columbia Law School, is a significant player of the 1945-1975 American century. Celler represented Brooklyn in Congress for a half century, becoming one of the most pivotal lawmakers on areas from civil rights, voting rights, immigration and the Constitution.
He put civil rights on the table with 1957 and 1960 bills that set up the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Celler watched President Lyndon B Johnson sign into law his signature achievement, the 1965 Immigration Reform Act, ending 40 years of “national origins” policy.
Longtime chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Celler is co-author of three Constitutional Amendments, including the 25th Amendment regarding presidential succession.
Celler [1888-1981] has been a frequent supporting character in the American drama, but now as subject of a new biography, he takes a bow as lead actor.
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Author Biography
Wayne Dawkins, 1980 graduate of Columbia J-school, is a professor of professional practice at Morgan State University in Baltimore.
He spent a 25-year career at four daily newspapers and two news services. Dawkins is author of “Emanuel Celler: Immigration and Civil Rights Champion,” and “City Son: Andrew W. Cooper’s Impact on Modern-Day Brooklyn.” In addition Dawkins published the two histories of the National Association of Black Journalists. He is a recipient of three Columbia University Awards.