A LOOK BACK: KAPPA HISTORY
The Black Indiana University student of this era was confronted with very similar circumstances which our Founders endured. 1947, Orr served as an attorney for the NAACP. He was an active Republican, who unsuccessfully ran for a seat with the Illinois General Assembly in 1938. In 1942, Orr was appointed by Illinois Governor Dwight H. Green to serve on a legislative commission to investigate the living conditions of Black populations in urban Illinois centers. In 1950, he became the first Black to be appointed as city attorney for East St. Louis and held this position for the next 11 years.
in the keen competition for scholastic excellence. It would encourage them to even nobler achievements. Their academic achievements and Orr’s guiding spirit, prompted a non-fraternity benefactor, Samuel Saul Dargan, the ‘unofficial dean of Negro students’ at Indiana University, to construct a residence for Alpha Chapter members in 1929. The new Alpha house was built on a corner lot immediately opposite the campus and one block from the library. Following graduation, Orr continued his scholastic achievements at Indiana University’s Law School, from which he earned his LL.B. in 1932. Orr resumed his studies at Columbia University Law School, 1932-1933. After completing his post-graduate work and passing the bar, Orr began practicing law in St. Clair County and East St. Louis (Illinois) area in 1934. Orr subsequently opened a law firm at 147-A South 15 th Street with fel- low Masonic and Alpha Chapter Brother Frank M. Summers (Alpha 1911). The law firm of Summers & Orr fought against numerous racial discrimination cases in East St. Louis. From 1934-
Orr’s activism to fight for the rights of Blacks was also manifested in other positions he held. He was well aware of the racial discrimination Blacks were en- during, including intimidation by whites to report these instances. Orr said, “…if a [N]egro attempt[ed] to raise a ques- tion about his rights or…[was] sponsor- ing some progressive movement to tear down some prejudice…white people… [then accused] [t]he young man [of] try- ing to start a race riot.” In order to help combat some of these instances of dis- crimination against Blacks in the hous- ing industry, he became Commissioner of the East St. Louis Housing Authority in 1954 and subsequently served as the Vice Chairman of the same organization until his death. He was also a member of the advisory committee of the state to the Federal Civil Rights Commission and served on the board of directors of the Illinois Children’s Home and Aid Society. Additionally, Orr sat on the board of the Emily Willis Day Care Cen- ter since its inception, and the board of governors of the United Fund of East St. Louis.
He had varied affiliations with religious,
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