Lewis's Estate

Citations

• 152 Pa. 477
• 25 A. 878
• 1893 Pa. LEXIS 1002

Syllabus

<p>[Marked to be reported.]</p> <p>Will — Charity to protect civil rights — Discretion to terminate trust.</p> <p>A trust to protect citizens of African descent in the enjoyment of their civil rights, and to prevent discrimination against them, is valid.</p> <p>Testator by his will gave the residue of his estate to trustees, and directed that they should form a charitable corporation whose object should be “to protect, aid and secure to colored citizens or colored persons in the United States their civil rights as applicable to all other classes of American citizens, how and wherever the same may be denied one or more of them by reason of race, color or condition; with powers to employ all legal and moral means to destroy and prevent such discrimination, and give substantial aid in money or otherwise, within the discretion of the said corporation, to any person or persons who seek redress from such discrimination, and who shall satisfy the said corporation that he, she or they are entitled to such aid.” Testator also directed that if the trust should become inoperative or impracticable by change of custom, process of law, or otherwise, the trustees should convey the trust estate to his heirs at law. Held, that the trust was valid.</p>