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Civil Rights Icon Clarence Jones, Medal of Freedom Recipient, Dies.

5/27/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Clarence B. Jones, 95, died with family at an assisted-living facility in Cupertino, California, on May 22.
He served as Martin Luther King Jr.’s attorney and speechwriter, drafting the “I Have a Dream” opening and smuggling the “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden in 2024, Jones will be featured in a Netflix documentary co-directed by NBA star Stephen Curry.

History

Historical Context

Clarence B. Jones helped draft Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech delivered to over 250,000 people on August 28 1963 at the March on Washington. The rally pressured the Kennedy administration and contributed to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, establishing a template for later mass demonstrations in the nation’s capital.

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Story summary

Clarence B. Jones, 95, died with family at an assisted-living facility in Cupertino, California, on May 22.
He served as Martin Luther King Jr.’s attorney and speechwriter, drafting the “I Have a Dream” opening and smuggling the “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden in 2024, Jones will be featured in a Netflix documentary co-directed by NBA star Stephen Curry.

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