Soros Justice Fellow Honored by ACLU, City of New Orleans

On February 28, 2009, the ACLU of Louisiana honored Norris Henderson with its 33rd annual Ben Smith award for his commitment to the advancement of civil liberties in Louisiana. New Orleans officials proclaimed the same day "Norris Henderson Day" in recognition of the Soros Justice Fellow's work to bring accountability and citizen oversight to the New Orleans criminal justice system.

The Ben Smith asward is given annually to someone with a demonstrated commitment to the advancement of civil liberties in Louisiana. The award is named for the late Ben Smith, a founder of the ACLU of Louisiana and a civil rights lawyer.

Norris Henderson's commitment to civil liberties comes from having been wrongfully incarcerated for over 27 years in the Louisiana Prison System. In prison, Henderson became an effective self-taught paralegal and "jailhouse lawyer," filing important cases on behalf of other men behind walls. For years, he has devoted his energies to securing rights not just for himself, but for others in and out of prison.

Since his release from prison, Henderson's strategic and effective public education, grassroots organizing, and advocacy for criminal justice policy reform in New Orleans have made him a national leader in the progressive reform movement. 

In 2004, the Open Society Institute awarded Henderson a Soros Justice Fellowship to conduct public education and to organize formerly incarcerated people and their families and neighbors for systemic criminal justice reform in New Orleans. During his fellowship, Henderson exposed perilous conditions in the Orleans Parish Prison, played a leading role in efforts to create New Orleans Office of the Independent Monitor to provide oversight of police policy and practice, and developed and mobilized a stable network of dozens of community members to demand accountability on criminal justice issues from local officials.

Henderson's efforts laid the foundation for Safe Streets/Strong Communities, which was created in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and is co-directed by Norris Henderson and Rosana Cruz.  In 2007, the Open Society Institute awarded Safe Streets a grant to organize local residents and forge alliances with local and national organizations to create a criminal justice system in New Orleans that is fair, just, and accountable and that ensures neighborhood safety and well-being.  Under Henderson's leadership, Safe Streets has earned a reputation for being a highly effective force for progressive change in New Orleans and a model for local organizing efforts nationwide.

Announcing the Ben Smith award, Louisiana ACLU director Marjorie Esman said, "Norris Henderson is an inspiration to those concerned with the rights of the unrepresented and voiceless. His courage, compassion, and self-effacing quiet dignity represent the best of Louisiana. We're proud to honor Norris and to include him among Louisiana's great civil libertarians."