Andrew Thompson Judson

(Redirected from Andrew Thompson Judson )

American judge (1784–1853)

Andrew Thompson Judson (November 29, 1784 – March 17, 1853) was a United States representative from Connecticut and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut . He also served in the Connecticut House of Representatives . He was a member of the Toleration Party and an officer of the American Colonization Society . A leading white supremacist , he led opposition to Prudence Crandall 's school for African Americans in Connecticut and advocated for African Americans to be subjugated or sent to Africa. He also opposed the establishment of a college for African Americans in New Haven. As a judge in the United States v. The Amistad , he ruled the enslaved captives aboard _La Amistad _ be released and returned to Africa.

Education and early career

[(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andrew_T._Judson&action=edit&section=1 "Edit section: Education and early career")
]

Judson was born on November 29, 1784, in Eastford , Windham County , Connecticut , the son of Elisabeth (Work) and Andrew Judson. Judson received limited schooling and read law in 1806. He was admitted to the bar and entered private practice in Montpelier , Vermont , from 1806 to 1809. He continued private practice in Canterbury , Connecticut, from 1809 to 1815, 1817 to 1819, and in 1834. He was Canterbury town clerk at the time of the Prudence Crandall affair, on which see below.

Connecticut politician

[(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andrew_T._Judson&action=edit&section=2 "Edit section: Connecticut politician")
]

He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1816, and from 1822 to 1825. He was state's attorney for Windham County from 1819 to 1833. He was a member of the Connecticut Senate from 1830 to 1832.

Toleration Party

[(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andrew_T._Judson&action=edit&section=3 "Edit section: Toleration Party")
]

While in the Connecticut House of Representatives, Judson was one of the most active members of the Toleration Party , which had for its object disunion between church and state. After a severe struggle the Tolerationists, aided by the Democrats, succeeded in setting aside the charter that was granted by Charles II of England , and adopted the new Constitution of 1818 , which remained in effect until 1965.

White supremacist and colonizationist

[(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andrew_T._Judson&action=edit&section=4 "Edit section: White supremacist and colonizationist")
]

Judson was the leading enemy of African Americans in the state of Connecticut.[_citation needed
] He believed that they were inferior to whites, and if not in use as slaves, should be moved to Africa, "where they came from".[citation needed
] He was an officer of the American Colonization Society , which raised funds for the relocation of a few thousand African Americans to the land that became Liberia .[citation needed
_]

Proposed college for African Americans in New Haven

[(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andrew_T._Judson&action=edit&section=5 "Edit section: Proposed college for African Americans in New Haven")
]

Main article: Simeon Jocelyn

In 1831, minister Simeon Jocelyn proposed establishing a "colored" college in New Haven.[_citation needed
] At a town meeting called by Judson, the vote was 99% for rejection. [citation needed
_]

Led the opposition to Prudence Crandall's school for black girls

[(https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andrew_T._Judson&action=edit&section=6 "Edit section: Led the opposition to Prudence Crandall's school for black girls")
]

A similar incident soon followed in Judson's hometown, Canterbury. Although he had earlier welcomed Prudence Crandall 's Canterbury Female Boarding School , : 15–16 , his support vanished when she accepted a black student and refused pressures to expel her. Judson, Canterbury's most famous and influential citizen, was the organizer of the pressures. "No other person in Connecticut was more fiercely opposed to Crandall's school for black women." : 173 

Samuel J. May 's pamphlet protesting Judson's unjust treatment of "Colored" families

He got the Connecticut legislature to pass the "Black Law ", prohibiting the teaching of blacks from outside of Connecticut. Crandall was arrested and spent a night in the county jail, a fact that was publicized. While he was only assistant prosecutor of Crandall's first trial, upon which the state's attorney for the county and the court's next choice, state Lieutenant Governor Ebenezer Stoddard , were suspiciously both "ill", since he was the only one of three prosecutors with knowledge of the case he called and questioned the witnesses, and gave the prosecution's closing argument. : 115–125  The jury was unable to reach a verdict. At her retrial he was no longer "assistant" prosecutor. : 139–143  She was found guilty, but upon appeal, the appeals court, apparently seeking a way to avoid taking a position, dismissed the case on a technicality. At this point opposition to Crandall'

…