Finding aid to the Wiley W. Manuel Papers MSS.1102

Finding aid prepared by Martha Noble and Noah Pollaczek, California Judicial Center Library, Special Collections and Archives
CJCL Special Collections and Archives
April 2013
455 Golden Gate Avenue
Room 4617
San Francisco, CA 94102-7013
archives@jud.ca.gov


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: CJCL Special Collections and Archives
Title: Wiley W. Manuel Papers
Creator: Manuel, Wiley W. (Wiley William), 1927-1981
Identifier/Call Number: MSS.1102
Physical Description: 13.12 Cubic feet (3 record storage cartons, 4 legal document boxes, 8 flat storage boxes, 1 judicial robe)
Date (inclusive): 1939-2010
Abstract: Personal and professional papers of Wiley W. Manuel, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court from 1977 to 1981. Materials date from 1939 through 2010.
Language of Material: Collection materials are in English.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research upon approval of written request. Requests should be submitted to: California Judicial Center Library, Special Collections and Archives, 455 Golden Gate Avenue, Room 4617, San Francisco, CA, 94102-7013, or by e-mail to archives@jud.ca.gov. All researchers must sign the California Judicial Center Library Special Collections Access Agreement form. This agreement can be sent electronically by request. Records in the collection may contain confidential information, as defined in the Access Agreement. Publication or disclosure of such information is strictly prohibited.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection, created by Wiley W. Manuel, was not transferred to the California Judicial Center Library. Permission for reproduction or publication of materials in this collection beyond that allowed by fair use must be secured from the copyright holder.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Wiley W. Manuel Papers, MSS 1102, California Judicial Center Library.

Acquisition Information

The collection was transferred to the California Judicial Center Library by Alameda County Commissioner Charles Smiley in 2011.

Biographical Note

Born on August 28, 1927, in Oakland, California, Justice Wiley William Manuel was the first African American appointed to the California Supreme Court. He received his early education in Berkeley, California, and served in the U.S. Army from February 1946 to May 1947. In 1951 he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 1953 he graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Hastings Law Journal. Following graduation, he served for twenty-three years with the California Department of Justice as a deputy attorney general, assistant attorney general, and chief assistant attorney general in the San Francisco Office.
Justice Manuel was appointed to the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda, in 1976. In February 1977 he was appointed to the California Supreme Court by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and was elected by the voters to a twelve-year term in November 1978. His death from cancer came in January 1981.
To honor his life of dedication to public service, hard work, and equal justice for all, African American lawyers in Sacramento County renamed their association the Wiley W. Manuel Bar Association. The Wiley W. Manuel Law Foundation, established in 1982, provides scholarships and career motivation for students in Northern California interested in pursuing a legal career. The Wiley W. Manuel Certificate, established in 1989 by the State Bar of California, is awarded to lawyers, law students, paralegals, and secretaries who volunteer their time and expertise on behalf of low-income clients.
The Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland is headquarters for Departments 101-115 of the Superior Court in Alameda County.

Scope and Contents

The Wiley W. Manuel papers consist of materials documenting the personal, academic, and professional life of the California Supreme Court's first African American justice. Materials date from 1939 through 2010. Awards, certificates, citations, memorials and resolutions honoring Justice Manuel comprise the bulk of the collection. His accomplishments and life of service are also reflected in writings by family members. The collection contains diplomas and other materials documenting his academic history, including a series of lecture notes, briefs, and summaries he created while he was a student at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. A smaller portion of the collection consists of photographs, correspondence, notes and other materials produced during his tenure in the Office of the California Attorney General (1953-1976) and his service on the California Supreme Court (1977-1981). Justice Manuel's robe and gavel are among the non-textual materials included in the collection.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

African American judges -- California
California. Supreme Court.

 

Certificates, awards, and artifacts 1953-2010

 

Supreme Court of the State of California, Certificate of Admission, State Bar of California 1954

 

United States District Court, Northern District of California, Certificate of Admission 1954

 

Appointment to the Superior Court, County of Alameda by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. 1976

 

Appointment to the Supreme Court of the State of California by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. 1977

 

Berkeley Council Knights of Columbus #1499, Certificate of Appreciation 2010

 

Black Law Students Association of McGeorge School of Law, In Appreciation 1979

 

Boys' Clubs of Oakland, Third Annual Image Award 1980

 

California Peace Officers' Training Program, Concord Police Academy, In Tribute to Wiley W. Manuel 1962

 

California State Assembly, Resolution commending the Honorable Wiley W. Manuel 1980

 

Certificate of Election, Office of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of California 1978

 

Deputy Attorney General to Chief Assistant, 1953-1976 circa 1976

 

East Bay Skills Center, Peralta Community College District, GED Certificate and letter 1978

 

John M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles, Award of Recognition 1978

 

Judicial Council of the National Bar Association circa 1980

 

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, In Recognition 1980

 

Lawyers Club of Los Angeles County, Certificate of Appreciation 1979

 

Lions International, Certificate of Appreciation, San Francisco Host Lions Club 1974

 

Lions International, Certificate of Appreciation 1978

 

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Recognition 1981

 

National Bar Association, Certificate of Membership undated

 

Oakland Board of Realtors, Recognition of Distinguished Service and Outstanding Contributions 1977

 

San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, Certificate of Appreciation 1977

 

St. Michael's Police Legion of the East Bay, Honorary Membership 1978

 

Superior Court, Alameda County, Recognition of Dedicated Judicial Service 1977

 

The Black American Law Student Association, William Hastie Award 1979

 

California Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER), Certificate of completion, California Trial Judges 1976 College Session, Earl Warren Legal Institute, University of California School of Law, Berkeley 1976

 

University of California, Berkeley, Honors for distinguished achievement, and for notable service to the University 1981

 

University of California, Hastings College of the Law, Congratulations and appreciation for service as Editor-in-Chief, Hastings Law Journal 1954

 

University of Southern California Law Alumni, Fountain pen holder 1977

 

Western State University College of Law of Orange County, Black American Law Students Association, In Appreciation 1979

 

University of California, Berkeley, Diploma, Bachelor of Arts, Major in Economics 1951

 

University of California, Hastings College of the Law, Diploma, Bachelor of Laws 1953

 

Judicial robe circa 1977-1981

 

Nametag, "Hon. Wiley W. Manuel, Supreme Court, San Francisco" circa 1977

 

Penholder and ashtray in glass case undated

 

Wooden gavel and circular stand undated

 

Nameplate, Wiley W. Manuel, Associate Justice circa 1977

 

Personal and family papers 1939-1981

 

Biographical sketch, a personal note circa 1981

 

California Monthly, Hastings Diamond Jubilee issue 1953

 

Audrey T. Hughes poem honoring Wiley Manuel 1981

 

John Klee, Jr., Deputy Attorney General, Memorial to Wiley W. Manuel 1981

 

Wiley W. Manuel resume circa 1981

 

Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse, Perini News 1983

 

Longfellow, High 6, Penmanship, spelling, and arithmetic 1939

 

Civil Procedure notebooks 1950-1951

 

Code Pleading, Hon. Oliver L. McCaskill, notebooks 1952

 

Code Pleading, McCaskill, Cases on Code Pleading, Cathcart & Howell, Fall Semester 1952

 

Code Pleadings, Lecture notes 1952

 

Community Property, Briefs, notebook 1952

 

Community Property, notebook 1952

 

Contracts, Summary, lecture notes and briefs, notebook 1950-1951

 

Corporations, lecture notes and summary, Manuel, Merrit and Roberts, notebook 1951-1952

 

Criminal Law and Procedure, notebook 1950-1951

 

Criminal Law and Procedure, loose notes 1950-1951

 

Equity, notebooks 1950-1952

 

Evidence, McBaine, notebooks 1952

 

Evidence, binder 1952-1953

 

Federal Taxation, Huberman, Summary, Smalley, Kohn and Manuel 1953

 

Negotiable Instruments, notes: summary undated

 

Partnerships, Briefs, notebook undated

 

Probate Sales Clearing Service listings 1952

 

Property, Summary, Briefs, Lectures, Reading, notebook undated

 

Sales, Briefs undated

 

Sales, Lecture, Vol. II, notebook 1952

 

Sales, Vol. D, notebook 1951-1952

 

The Lawyer and Law Notes, Winter Issue, 1951–1952, Vol. 5, No. 3. 1951

 

Torts, notebook 1950-1951

 

Trial Practice, Instructor: Merica, notebook 1953

 

Unicorp. Associations, notebook 1951-1952

 

Unlabeled notes 1953

 

Photographs circa 1956-1981

 

California Attorney General's Office, San Francisco Assistants' Meeting, Civil Division, Wiley W. Manuel with six individuals 1975 October 24

 

Attorney General Edmund G. "Pat" Brown and staff, San Francisco 1956 August 22

 

California, Department of Justice group photograph, Attorney General Thomas C. Lynch, San Francisco 1968 July 16

 

California, Department of Justice group photograph, Attorney General Stanley Mosk and staff, San Francisco 1960 April 29

 

Justice Manuel in judicial robes circa 1977-1981

 

Unidentified woman circa 1970s

 

Wiley W. Manuel with unidentified man circa 1970s

 

Professional papers circa 1960-1981

 

Appellant's opening brief, Wegner v. Department of Motor Vehicles (1969) 271 Cal.App.2d 838 1969

 

Desk pad paper undated

 

Wiley W. Manuel administrative mandamus as seen from the defense, notes, CEB program circa 1960s

 

California Supreme Court letterhead 1977-1981

 

Wiley W. Manuel speeches, Association of Municipal Court Clerks 1977-1979