This is historical material “frozen in time”. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
November 11, 2014
Statement by the President on the Death of John Doar
Michelle and I were saddened to hear of the passing of John Doar, one of the bravest American lawyers of his or any era. As the face of the Justice Department in the segregated South, John escorted James Meredith to the University of Mississippi. He walked alongside the Selma-to-Montgomery March. He laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Time and time again, John put his life on the line to make real our country’s promise of equal rights for all. Without John’s courage and perseverance, Michelle and I might not be where we are today, and our thoughts and prayers are with his children, his grandchildren, and all those who loved and admired him.