Allan G. Donn Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
Old Dominion University
3023 Patricia W. and J. Douglas Perry Library
Old Dominion University
4427 Hampton Blvd
Norfolk, VA 23529
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Jessica Ritchie
Phone: (757) 683-4483
Fax: (757) 683-5954
Restrictions:

Open to researchers without restrictions.

Terms of access:

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, and the holder of the copyright, if not Old Dominion University Libraries.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Box [insert number], Folder [insert number and title], Allan G. Donn Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
0.40 Linear Feet and 1 Hollinger document case boxes
Creator:
Donn, Allan G. (1939-)
Abstract:
Contains court documents and a research paper related to school desegregation in Prince Edward County, Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia and North Carolina. The court documents relate to Cocheyse J. Griffin v. County School Board of Prince Edward County and Swan v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg.
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Box [insert number], Folder [insert number and title], Allan G. Donn Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection contains court documents and a research paper collected by attorney Allan G. Donn related to school desegregation in Prince Edward County, Norfolk and Richmond, Virginia and North Carolina. The court documents relate to Cocheyse J. Griffin v. County School Board of Prince Edward County and Swan v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg.

Biographical / historical:

Allan Gerald Donn was born in 1939 in Norfolk to Milton Donn and Freda Fleder. He graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts. In 1964, he received a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Harvard University Law School and became engaged to Susan L. Berman who he later married. A year later Donn was admitted to the Virginia State Bar. In 1967, he received a Master of Laws (LLM) in Taxation from Georgetown Law Center. As of 2010, Donn is a member of Willcox and Savage, specializing in partnerships, limited liability companies, taxation and estate planning.

While a student at Harvard, Donn was present when the United States Supreme Court heard the school desegregation case, Cocheyse J. Griffin v. County School Board of Prince Edward County. In this pivotal case, the court ruled that closing public schools to avoid desegregation was unconstitutional and ordered that they be reopened. Later, as a member of Norfolk legal firm of Willcox, Savage, Lawrence, Dickson & Spindle, Donn represented the School Board of City of Norfolk in desegregation cases in the late 1960s and 1970s.

Note written by Sonia Yaco

Acquisition information:

Allan G. Donn

Accession #A2009-20

Gift as part of the Desegregation of Virginia Education (DOVE) project.

Processing information:

The finding aid was created by Sonia Yaco, Special Collections Librarian, in 2010.

Arrangement:

The collection is organized chronologically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard