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Review: World Premiere of Judge Damon J. Keith's Documentary Outstanding

By Laydell Wood Harper/Tell Us Detroit

DETROIT, MI (Tell Us Det) - The recent World Premiere red carpet screening of “Walk with Me: The Trials of Damon J. Keith” paid tribute to one of Detroit’s greatest treasurers the Honorable Damon J. Keith. Judge Keith who will turn 93 years old on July 4th attended the premiere, and commented after the screening, “It brings tears to my eyes when looking at it. It brought back memories. I just hope that I have made a difference as a lawyer and a judge.” And, yes he has made a difference in so many ways that have changed a nation; A nation that would not be the same without the Honorable Judge Damon J. Keith.

This extraordinary documentary film by 25 year old filmmaker Jesse Nesser and sponsored by Ford and the DTE Energy Foundation documents the legal rulings made by Judge Keith; Rulings that have influenced the nation. “He wanted to take the constitution and apply it to this century,” said Congressman John Conyers.

What a joy it was for me and the audience to see Judge Keith play an active role in the film and to hear Judge Keith’s voice in his own words instead of a narrator. The film opened with the judge walking slowly down a long, dark hallway, with hands clichéd behind his back as if in deep contemplation. Shortly after he was shown standing and gazing outside of the Fisher YMCA. The Judge began to speak about the significance of the “Y”. Blacks were not allowed in the “Y” at the time.

The film took us on a guided tour by car with Keith through the Detroit neighborhood where he grew up. Now blighted and mostly vacant lots where homes previously stood, he pointed to the lot where his family home once stood at 3860 Hudson Street.

One of the most touching moments of the film was when Keith spoke of his late wife, Dr. Rachel Boone Keith. As he spoke of the day of her passing he became still very emotional even eight years after her death. The camera stopped for what seemed to be nearly 5 minutes while this gentle giant wept. He recalled being on the bench in Cincinnati and was called to the phone for an important phone call to receive the shocking news. He described the day he left for Cincinnati telling his bride (as he often called her) he would be back in a few days.

Ironically the two major sponsors of the Premiere film where once high profile landmark cases in Judge Keith’s courtroom; Stamps v. Detroit Edison Company, 1973 (different from DTE Foundation); Ordered Detroit Edison to pay $4 million to black employees and start an affirmation action program in a historic job discrimination case. Robert Gallagher tried the Detroit Edison case before Judge Keith. Blacks were only hired at Detroit Edison to do menial jobs. Analyst found a code for black applicants. It was a black dot on the application that kept blacks from getting a promotion, that was the indicator for the color of their skin.

On and off the bench he is a humble servant in the community. When Rosa Parks, (Judge Keith called her Mother Parks) was beaten and robbed in her home Keith immediately called his friends Al Taubman and Max Fisher to find her a safer more secure home at Detroit’s Riverfront Apartments. According to the Detroit Free Press Mother Parks was Keith’s friend and comrade in the battle for equal rights.

What is important for young people to learn from this film is that Judge Keith did not start at the top he began his courageous journey doing menial jobs to help fund his law school tuition. It’s important to note that in 1949 Judge Keith was a law school graduate and a Janitor in the Detroit News building.

As he cleaned the toilets and floors in the bathroom one night, and took his lunch break with a law dictionary in hand a white Detroit News reporter came in. As he was leaving he asked Keith, “What are you reading?” Keith responded I’m studying for the Bar exams. The white reporter laughed, “A Black lawyer? You better keep mopping.” In the film the white reporter is played by Detroit News Editor Nolan Finley.

Judge Damon J. Keith, U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals repeated more than once in the documentary: There’s not a day that passes that I’m not reminded that I am black.

Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press Columnist along with Judge Damon J. Keith and filmmaker Jesse Nesser had an on-stage post screening conversation after the 90 minute film. Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and her mother flew in from California to attend.

As the audience of nearly 60% white and 40% black attendees watched in awe of Judge Keith’s remarkable accomplishments particularly in the area of civil rights, nine innocent people were massacred in Charleston, N.C. at the Emanuel A.M.E. Church.

 

 

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