Dr. Clarence B. Jones, civil rights activist who helped write MLK’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, dies at 95

Clarence B. Jones, the civil rights lawyer, activist and trusted adviser who helped write part of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech, has died at 95. Jones passed away on May 22 at a senior living community in Cupertino, California, surrounded by family, according to statements released by his family

Clarence B. Jones Was A Key Architect of the Civil Rights Movement

Jones served as King’s personal attorney, speechwriter and confidant from 1960 until King’s assassination in 1968. He helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered the iconic speech, and played a central role in legal and strategic battles that shaped the Civil Rights Movement.

He also helped smuggle out the handwritten pages of King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” contributed to the landmark New York Times v. Sullivan Supreme Court case, and assisted in crafting King’s 1967 “Beyond Vietnam” address at Riverside Church.

A Life of Advocacy, Scholarship and Influence

Born Jan. 8, 1931, in Philadelphia, Jones graduated from Columbia University, earned a law degree from Boston University, and initially worked as an entertainment lawyer before joining King’s legal team.

He later taught at Stanford University and the University of San Francisco, where he co‑founded the Institute for Nonviolence and Social Justice. In 2024, President Joe Biden awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Clarence B. Jones: Voice That Endured Across Generations

Throughout his life, Jones spent time speaking with students around the world about his life and social justice. In 2022, Unheard Voices had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Jones during a virtual education session with Asbury Park High School students. During the session, Jones stressed the importance of using your voice for the greater good.

He spoke with the Asbury Park High School students on several occasions, most recently in Jan. 2026 on MLK day.

Dr Clarence Benjamin Jones and Unheard Voices Magazine

Even in his later years, Jones remained a fierce defender of voting rights and a vocal critic of efforts to undermine civil rights gains

Just weeks before his death, he publicly condemned political attempts to weaken Black voting power, insisting that “an idea whose time has come is more powerful than the march of any army.”

A Legacy Preserved in History and Film

Jones’ life and work are the focus of the Sundance‑winning documentary “The Baddest Speechwriter of All,” directed by Ben Proudfoot and NBA star Stephen Curry. The film is expected to premiere on Netflix later this year.

“Our father lived a life of conscience,” Jones’ family wrote in their statement. “He believed, until his final days, that an idea whose time has come is more powerful than the march of any army. We are grateful beyond words for the love, the prayers, and the friendships that sustained him, and us, across this long and remarkable life.”

Dr. Clarence B. Jones biography