LAMAMIMET

Clarence Benjamin Jones was born on January 8, 1931, in Philadelphia and raised in a foster home. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College in 1953 and a law degree from Boston University in 1959.

Jones became a key figure in the civil‑rights movement, serving as personal counsel and close advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. He helped organize the 1963 March on Washington and assisted King in drafting the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, as well as playing a role in the creation of the “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Jones also defended King in a 1960 tax‑fraud trial and was involved in numerous strategic initiatives for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

After his civil‑rights work, Jones pursued a successful legal and financial career, establishing an entertainment‑law practice in California and becoming the first African‑American allied member of the New York Stock Exchange. He later served as a scholar‑in‑residence at Stanford University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Institute, authored several books on the movement, and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions.

Clarence B. Jones died peacefully on May 22, 2026, in Cupertino, California, at the age of 95.