Willis, Archie Walter Jr.
1925-1988 · Contribution: 1964
Law & Civil Rights
Co-founded Memphis's first integrated law firm; first African American elected to the Tennessee General Assembly since Reconstruction

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Quick facts
- Born
- 1925-1988
- Category
- Law & Civil Rights
Impact on the world
Willis broke the color line of the Tennessee legislature and built the legal and financial institutions that advanced Black economic and civil rights in the South.
Sources
- Tennessee Encyclopedia
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