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Clarence B. Jones, influential speechwriter and close confidant of Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr., who helped craft the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, passed away at the age of 95. He died Friday at a senior living community in Cupertino, California, surrounded by family.
Jones’ family remembered him as a man who “lived a life of conscience,” holding firm to the belief that “an idea is more powerful than the march of any army.” They expressed deep gratitude for the outpouring of love and support throughout his remarkable life.
As King’s personal attorney and trusted advisor, Jones played a crucial role in the Civil Rights Movement. Notably, he smuggled pages of King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” out of prison and contributed to many of King’s speeches up until his assassination in 1968. Jones also helped shape the 1967 Riverside Church address, “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence,” where King openly criticized the Vietnam War and its impact on American poverty.
Born in Philadelphia in 1931 to parents who worked as domestic staff for a Quaker family in New Jersey, Jones excelled academically, becoming valedictorian at an integrated high school. His passion for breaking racial barriers was evident early on, as reflected in his 1949 graduation speech.
He later graduated from Columbia University, served in the U.S. Army, and earned a law degree from Boston University.
Jones began working closely with King in 1960, joining his legal team for a tax evasion case in Alabama. This marked the beginning of a lasting partnership, prompting Jones to relocate from California to New York to support King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference as a full-time adviser, attorney, and speechwriter.
He was also part of the landmark 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan case, which protected freedom of the press by overturning a libel ruling against the newspaper for its coverage of civil rights protests.
Following King’s death, Jones transitioned to a career in finance, becoming the first Black allied member of the New York Stock Exchange. Later, he embraced academia, joining the University of San Francisco faculty in 2012 and co-founding the Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice.
He also served as a scholar-in-residence at Stanford’s Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute.
In 2023, Jones published his memoir, Last of the Lions: An African American Journey in Memoir, reflecting on his time with King. The following year, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden. Shortly after, he appeared at a San Francisco Giants game alongside NBA star Stephen Curry, who produced an award-winning documentary about Jones titled The Baddest Speechwriter of All, set to stream on Netflix.
Jones is survived by his five children and longtime partner, Lin Walters. Funeral and public memorial plans are currently being arranged.