Remembering Civil Rights Division Leader Stephen J. Pollak

On Feb. 3, a champion of civil rights, Stephen J. Pollak, died at the age of 95.

Throughout his decades of service and mentorship, Steve was a beacon of hope and justice for many. His service included rising to Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division from 1967 to 1969. He also served as First Assistant to John Doar from 1965 to 1967.

In fact, on his very first day in the division, Steve was deployed to Selma, Alabama, after state troopers attacked peaceful protesters marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in a day now infamously known as Bloody Sunday. Steve’s role was to ensure that state and local officials complied with a federal court order that permitted the demonstrators to proceed to the state Capitol in Montgomery. As Steve described, he “met with the leaders of the march to understand what their plans were and understand what they were doing to ensure the safety of the marchers.” In turn, Pollak used those conversations to “prepare [] for possible interference.” The march proved to be the catalyst for passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, arguably one of the most important of our federal civil rights laws. Here, too, Steve played a central role, helping to negotiate the final draft bill with Senators Mike Mansfield and Everett Dirksen.

Steve also worked alongside Attorney General Robert Kennedy in the department’s efforts to ensure that James Meredith was allowed to enroll at the University of Mississippi. In 1968, as Assistant Attorney General, Steve instructed division attorneys to respond more aggressively to police brutality. Specifically, while the division could act only in “compelling circumstances,” Steve redefined the term to include the failure of state or local authorities to prosecute an offending officer.

Among Steve’s other critical roles in federal government, he was an Advisor to President Lyndon B. Johnson and an Assistant to Solicitor General Archibald Cox. In addition, he served as counsel on President Johnson's War Against Poverty, headed by Sargent Shriver, and drafted the legislation creating the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program. In the private sector, Steve maintained a thriving legal practice, which always included a robust docket of pro bono matters. His work never strayed far from the civil rights movement. In 1981, he argued before the Supreme Court on behalf of students with disabilities in University of Texas v. Camenisch, 451 U.S. 390 (1981). In 1971, he challenged school desegregation in Charlotte, North Carolina, telling the Supreme Court that “the existence of segregated neighborhoods could not be used in this case as a reason for maintaining black schools since the segregation was not de facto — or segregation resulting from housing patterns.” Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, 402 U.S. 1 (1971). These were just two of 13 cases he argued before the Court.

I had the pleasure of working closely with Steve during my time at the helm of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Steve served on the Board of Directors and was one of the organization’s most active members, especially in fighting voting discrimination, ensuring access to the ballot and supporting election protection efforts across the country. No doubt, Steve’s time on the ground in Selma shaped the course and trajectory of his career, long past his tenure in the Civil Rights Division.

Steve was raised in Highland Park, Illinois. His mother chaired the state League of Women Voters; and his father served on the local school board. He attended Dartmouth University where he served as team captain for the swim team and more. Notably, he worked with Dartmouth's chapter of the Northern New England Student Association to advocate for the termination of racial and religious discrimination clauses in fraternity charters. After graduating, he advanced from NROTC into a commission in the Navy and was deployed to Korea.

As I acknowledge Steve’s legacy, I recall his remarks during the Civil Rights Division’s 65th Anniversary in December 2022. While reflecting on his tenure with the division, he affirmed our compelling history and reminded all of us of the sacred trust we bear:  

“I did not do it alone. I served with great people in the Division, led by first Burke Marshall and then John Doar… There were outstanding people then and there are outstanding people now. It’s a great honor to serve in the Department. I think it was the best of my career. All of you who are serving now or have served, I commend you and commend your tasks. These are great laws that you are enforcing, and they need everything that you can give them.”

May Stephen Pollak’s words ring louder than ever as we honor his legacy by pressing forward in the ongoing fight for equal justice under law for all.