Hayzel Burton Daniels (December 7, 1907 – March 7, 1992)[1] was an American politician, lawyer, and judge who was the first of two African Americans to serve in the Arizona State Legislature. He was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives alongside Carl Sims in 1950 and served through 1952. Daniels subsequently became the state's first Black assistant attorney general and first Black judge.
Mopping floors and busing tables at the Old Pueblo Club to pay his way through college, Daniels received his bachelor's degree in social sciences from the University of Arizona in 1939 and his master's degree in education in 1941. He taught at rural schools in Fort Huachuca and served in the United States Army Air Forces from 1943 to 1945, when he was stationed in Burma. Returning to his home state, he attended the University of Arizona School of Law on the G.I. Bill. Graduating in 1948 and passing the state bar examination later that year, Daniels became Arizona's second Black lawyer and the first Black lawyer to be admitted to the State Bar of Arizona. He opened an independent law practice in Phoenix and became active in the NAACP.[1][2][5]
In 1950, Daniels was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives, running unopposed in his heavily Democratic district of Phoenix. He served a single two-year term, through 1952. Alongside Carl Sims, he was the first African American to serve in the Arizona State Legislature. He served as vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee and as a member of the Public Defense and the Suffrage and Elections committees.[5] As a legislator and lawyer, Daniels led a successful campaign to desegregate Phoenix's public schools, first enacting legislation that weakened the state's school segregation laws and then litigating to have those laws declared unconstitutional. Superior Court judges Fred C. Struckmeyer Jr. and Charles C. Bernstein duly struck down the law, and the U.S. Supreme Court, in its Brown v. Board of Education decision a few months later, confirmed the state courts' verdicts.[1]
Daniels went on to serve six years as Arizona's first Black assistant attorney general. In 1965, Phoenix mayor Milton H. Graham appointed Daniels to the office of city magistrate. The first Black judge in Arizona history,[4] Daniels served on the Phoenix Municipal Court until his retirement in 1978.[5]
Daniels died on March 7, 1992, at the age of 82. He was a founding member of the Arizona Black Lawyers Association, which honored his memory by changing its name to the Hayzel B. Daniels Bar Association in February 1993.[1] Its successor organization is the Arizona Black Bar.[6]
Daniels was married twice, to Grace Jones in 1942 and Emily Solomon in 1979. He had two adopted and no biological children.[5]
Referencesedit
^ abcdBoone, Linda C. (March 2000). "Pioneers In Law: The Days of "Haze" - A Personal Journey Down the Back Road to Brown v. Board of Education" (PDF). Arizona Attorney: 38–40. (PDF) from the original on 2023-12-22.
^ ab"Hayzel "Haze" Burton Daniels". Arizona Memory Project. Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
^Whitaker, Matthew C. (2007-01-19). "Hayzel B. Daniels (1913-1992)". BlackPast.org. from the original on 2023-12-22. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
^ abHansen, Greg (2021-06-20). "Hansen's Hundred, No. 71: Hayzel Daniels broke records as Tucson High running back". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
^ abcdRichards, J. Morris (1990). History of the Arizona State Legislature, 1912-1967. Arizona Legislative Council. pp. 206–207. OCLC 22473573. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
^"About Us". Arizona Black Bar Association. from the original on 2023-12-22. Retrieved 2023-12-22.
March 08, 2024
hayzel, burton, daniels, december, 1907, march, 1992, american, politician, lawyer, judge, first, african, americans, serve, arizona, state, legislature, elected, arizona, house, representatives, alongside, carl, sims, 1950, served, through, 1952, daniels, sub. Hayzel Burton Daniels December 7 1907 March 7 1992 1 was an American politician lawyer and judge who was the first of two African Americans to serve in the Arizona State Legislature He was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives alongside Carl Sims in 1950 and served through 1952 Daniels subsequently became the state s first Black assistant attorney general and first Black judge Hayzel Burton DanielsMember of the Arizona House of RepresentativesIn office 1950 1952Personal detailsBorn 1907 12 07 December 7 1907Fort Clark Texas USDiedMarch 7 1992 1992 03 07 aged 84 Phoenix Arizona USPolitical partyDemocraticEducationUniversity of ArizonaOccupationLawyer politician judgeLife and career editDaniels was born at Fort Clark in Kinney County Texas on December 7 1907 2 His father was a Buffalo soldier in the 10th Cavalry Regiment 3 His family moved to Fort Huachuca in 1913 and later to Nogales Arizona He attended Tucson High School where he was a star running back on the football team and the state s player of the year in 1925 and 1926 He suffered a knee injury and never played college football 4 Mopping floors and busing tables at the Old Pueblo Club to pay his way through college Daniels received his bachelor s degree in social sciences from the University of Arizona in 1939 and his master s degree in education in 1941 He taught at rural schools in Fort Huachuca and served in the United States Army Air Forces from 1943 to 1945 when he was stationed in Burma Returning to his home state he attended the University of Arizona School of Law on the G I Bill Graduating in 1948 and passing the state bar examination later that year Daniels became Arizona s second Black lawyer and the first Black lawyer to be admitted to the State Bar of Arizona He opened an independent law practice in Phoenix and became active in the NAACP 1 2 5 In 1950 Daniels was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives running unopposed in his heavily Democratic district of Phoenix He served a single two year term through 1952 Alongside Carl Sims he was the first African American to serve in the Arizona State Legislature He served as vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee and as a member of the Public Defense and the Suffrage and Elections committees 5 As a legislator and lawyer Daniels led a successful campaign to desegregate Phoenix s public schools first enacting legislation that weakened the state s school segregation laws and then litigating to have those laws declared unconstitutional Superior Court judges Fred C Struckmeyer Jr and Charles C Bernstein duly struck down the law and the U S Supreme Court in its Brown v Board of Education decision a few months later confirmed the state courts verdicts 1 Daniels went on to serve six years as Arizona s first Black assistant attorney general In 1965 Phoenix mayor Milton H Graham appointed Daniels to the office of city magistrate The first Black judge in Arizona history 4 Daniels served on the Phoenix Municipal Court until his retirement in 1978 5 Daniels died on March 7 1992 at the age of 82 He was a founding member of the Arizona Black Lawyers Association which honored his memory by changing its name to the Hayzel B Daniels Bar Association in February 1993 1 Its successor organization is the Arizona Black Bar 6 Daniels was married twice to Grace Jones in 1942 and Emily Solomon in 1979 He had two adopted and no biological children 5 References edit a b c d Boone Linda C March 2000 Pioneers In Law The Days of Haze A Personal Journey Down the Back Road to Brown v Board of Education PDF Arizona Attorney 38 40 Archived PDF from the original on 2023 12 22 a b Hayzel Haze Burton Daniels Arizona Memory Project Arizona State Library Archives and Public Records Retrieved 2023 12 22 Whitaker Matthew C 2007 01 19 Hayzel B Daniels 1913 1992 BlackPast org Archived from the original on 2023 12 22 Retrieved 2023 12 22 a b Hansen Greg 2021 06 20 Hansen s Hundred No 71 Hayzel Daniels broke records as Tucson High running back Arizona Daily Star Retrieved 2023 12 22 a b c d Richards J Morris 1990 History of the Arizona State Legislature 1912 1967 Arizona Legislative Council pp 206 207 OCLC 22473573 Retrieved 2023 12 22 About Us Arizona Black Bar Association Archived from the original on 2023 12 22 Retrieved 2023 12 22 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hayzel Burton Daniels amp oldid 1210355943, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
