FORT. LAUDERDALE, FL – In honor of Black History month in February, the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society has invited W. George Allen, Esq. to be February 2014’s guest lecturer. Mr. Allen will speak on Monday, February 10, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. at the New River Inn (231 SW 2nd Street, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33301). This lecture is free and open to the public – all are welcome but RSVP is required!

 

A native of Sanford, Florida, Mr. Allen is enjoying his retirement after fifty years of practicing law as the sole proprietor of the Law Offices of W. George Allen in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  In fact, when Mr. Allen graduated from the College of Law at the University of Florida in 1962, he became the first Black person to earn a degree in any former white institution in Florida, thus integrating higher education in Florida and the Southeast United States. Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of his graduation in 2012, Mr. Allen was the special honored guest at the University of Florida and the Levin School of Law.

 

A champion for Human Rights and Dignity throughout his career, Mr. Allen is credited with filing the lawsuit that integrated Broward County and Hendry County public schools - assuring that all children were entitled to an "equal" education.

Throughout his career Mr. Allen has received numerous awards for his professional achievements and civic contributions. The University of Florida Levin College of Law, Black students named their bar association, "The W. George Allen Black Student Bar Association." In addition, Mr. Allen was presented with the  “Distinguished Alumnus Award” by the University of Florida (2000), and was inducted into the National Bar Association Hall of Fame (2003).

 

Mr. Allen matriculated at Florida A&M University (1958) and served in the United States Army as a Special Agent with the Counter Intelligence Corps (1958 - 1960).

He is married to his college sweetheart, Enid C. Meadows Allen.

 

To RSVP for this FREE email education@fortlauderdalehistorycenter.org or call 954-463-4431 ext 12. To learn more about events and programming at the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society or to RSVP for the Free Lecture Series visit www.fortlauderdalehistoricalsociety.org or call 954-463-4431. Like what the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society is doing show us at www.facebook.com/ftlhistory