Harvey E. Beech
Description:
Harvey Beech was born in 1923 and raised in Kinston, N.C. He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta before becoming one of the first African American students at UNC School of Law. He talks about overcoming prejudice and racial discrimination during his time at UNC and, later, in legal practice. He describes his practice early on in Durham and then later in Kinston, N.C., including some memorable criminal defense and personal injury cases. He recalls a police brutality case that he and his colleague C.J. Gates took to the N.C. Supreme Court, which they succeed in having reversed for their client. Other topics include his close relationship with Kenneth Lee (a classmate at UNC School of Law) and involvement in a various corporate boards across the state (e.g., Wachovia and First Financial Savings and Loan).
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