Kenneth A. MacDonald

Educated in the public schools of Quincy, Massachusetts, graduated Dartmouth in 1939 and Harvard Law School in 1942, Ken MacDonald enlisted in the Tenth Mountain Infantry Division in 1943, serving in Company L, 85^th Mountain Infantry Regiment. The regiment trained for survival and combat in winter mountain conditions in Colorado, Texas, and Virginia, and then shipped overseas at the end of 1944, arriving in Naples, Italy, on January 13, 1945. The unit joined the forces assembled to attack the German strongholds in the Apennines Mountains. In three major offensive attacks, these forces crossed the Apennines and effectively ended the war in Italy.

In 1947, Ken and his wife Elinor moved to Seattle.

"We three were WWII veterans, strangers to Seattle, Fran (Hoague) from Boston, Alec (Bayless) from Houston, and I from Boston. We were part of that surge of young workers and professionals who flocked into Seattle after WWII." In 1952, they formed MacDonald Hoague & Bayless that included a walk-up office on Mercer Island.

"New to town, needing clients, we became part of the post-WWII Seattle excitement, commotion, and tumult. We joined in immense energy and hope, seeking a post-war durable peace, economic justice, housing, jobs, with an initial and early concern about racial discrimination in housing and employment."

Ken became active in local and state politics, was a member and chair (1958-1968) of the Washington State Board Against Discrimination (now known as the Washington State Human Rights Commission), and has held active membership in the ACLU since 1948. "Community participation by us was pursued in part to meet people, what in today's world would be 'marketing' us as professionals. It worked. Within the first three or four years we represented several persons questioning authority, challenging the system, and claiming their newly perceived rights."

Ken's public interest law career includes litigation in areas of civil rights, Selective Services, labor and employment law, federal loyalty-security programs, House Un-American Activities committee proceedings, protection of dissidents from deportation, and several high profile higher education cases. "We defended some persons sought to be deported for alleged subversive activities, confronted City of Seattle or the Seattle School District over denial of use of public property for speakers, and we supported teachers and labor union members claiming protection under the First and Fifth Amendments. Without realizing it, we created an image which has stuck over the years. Our firm continues to handle interesting, significant litigation, has 'stayed the course,' and has made a contribution to achieving some fairness and justice in our community. There is much to be done."

On February 23, the Legal Foundation of Washington will present Kenneth A. MacDonald the 2001 Goldmark Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his 54-year involvement in civil rights litigation and issues in the State of Washington.