April 24, 2006

Friends of the Court

A $3 million gift to Wayne State University from developer/philanthropist A. Alfred Taubman will help fund construction of a new classroom building and a civil rights center named for Judge Damon J. Keith at the Law School . The gift is the largest single amount ever given to the Law School . Writer Sherri Begin focuses on the longtime friendship between Taubman and Keith and mentions that the planned new building will house classrooms, offices, meeting areas and an auditorium in addition to the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights. The building also will be the permanent home for the Damon J. Keith Collection of African-American Legal History; the "Marching Toward Justice" exhibit, which traces the history of the 14th Amendment; and the "Saluting a Giant" exhibit, which highlights Keith's law career. "I believe in the idea of recognizing civil rights," Taubman said. "This is recognition of what (Judge Keith) is doing for his community and for his country." The gift comes in the midst of Wayne State 's $500 million capital campaign, which has raised more than $300 million to date, according to Susan Burns, vice president for development and alumni affairs. A photo of Taubman and Keith accompanies the story.

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