Scope and Content Note
The papers of Harold H. Greene (1923-2000) span the years 1951-2001, with the bulk of the material concentrated in the period 1958-1998. The collection includes case material, correspondence, opinions, orders, printed matter, reports, and writings, and is organized in six series: Department of Justice , District of Columbia Superior Court , United States District Court for the District of Columbia , Writings File , Miscellany , and Oversize .
The Department of Justice series, consisting chiefly of briefs and correspondence, documents Greene's career as the first head of the Appeals and Research Section of the department's newly created Civil Rights Division. In this position Greene and his staff provided the Attorney General's office with the information it needed to enforce civil rights laws. Greene also participated in drafting the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The District of Columbia Superior Court series relates to Greene's tenure as Chief Judge. The court at the time of his appointment was known as the District of Columbia Court of General Sessions and became the Superior Court in a reorganization project spearheaded by Greene between 1970 and 1973. The series contains correspondence, opinions, and orders, and reports covering this effort as well as material relating to Greene's reforms in court procedures to handle the heavy case load resulting from the civil disturbances of the 1960s, including antiwar demonstrations and the 1968 racial riots in Washington, D.C.
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia series contains correspondence, orders, and general case material pertaining to Greene's appointment to the federal bench. The primary focus of this series is the AT & T antitrust case that had been filed in 1974 but not decided until Greene took administrative control of the proceedings in the 1980s.
The Writings File consists of articles, speeches, and congressional testimonies written or given by Greene during his career. Greene was invited to speak at numerous legal symposiums. In addition, he was a guest lecturer at many law schools and presided over their moot courts. The series includes research material as well as the text of speeches and articles.
The Miscellany series contains Greene's appointment calendars, biographical information, invitations to events, and printed matter on legal topics and organizations. Scrapbooks of newspaper clippings in the Oversize series reflect Greene's public life and achievements.