Alcee Hastings was a U.S. Representative from Florida who served from 1993 until his death.Hastings began his career as a lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, taking on civil rights cases in an area where the rights of Black people were often threatened in the 1960s and ‘70s.
Hastings fought to desegregate Broward County schools and sued establishments that wouldn’t serve Black people. After building a reputation as a crusader for social justice, he made history in 1979 by becoming the first Black federal judge in Florida.
But his term on the bench ended 10 years later in impeachment and removal after he was tried on charges of soliciting a bribe.
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