Regina Charon, Lawyer, Papers
Collection
Collection Number: A&M 4573
The collection includes biographies about Regina Charon's life and life's work as a lawyer, focusing on civil rights; papers regarding the 1977-1978 Council for Women's Concerns, the Regina Charon Zealous Advocate Award, and fellowships; and photocopies of various issues of the West Virginia University College of Law newsletter from 1975. The collection also includes photographs of Regina Charon's life from childhood through adulthood.
Addendum of 2024 May 03 includes materials from the May 2024 West Virginia University Libraries Inclusive Portrait Project event celebrating Charon, her work, and her legacy. Materials include a transcription of remarks made by Kathy Abate at the event, a sign stating "with LIBERTY and JUSTICE for ALL" created and held by Blanche Rybeck, and a poster reproduction of a card selectively distributed by Charon stating "You have insulted a woman. This card has been chemically treated. In three days, your prick will fall off." (created and held by Kathy Abate). See A&M 4603, West Virginia University Libraries Inclusive Portrait Project Portraits, for more information on the portrait of Regina Charon.
Addendum of 2024 July 23 includes a newspaper clipping of an article regarding Charon's involvement in a 1985-1987 employment discrimination case against West Virginia University (WVU) and an article about a WVU Law Awareness Day event in which Charon was involved and four scanned photographs of Charon and her daughter at the 1992 March for Women's Lives in Washington, DC.
No special access restriction applies.
Researchers may access digitized materials by requesting to view the materials in person by appointment or remotely by contacting the West Virginia & Regional History Center reference department at https://westvirginia.libanswers.com/wvrhc.
The donor of the collection has transferred rights to the intellectual property they created to the Center. For more information regarding permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the West Virginia and Regional History Center.
Regina Charon (1946-2004) was a civil rights lawyer who specialized in unemployment law, sex discrimination law, and LGBT adoption law. Charon obtained her law degree from West Virginia University in 1976 and served as a legal said in the town of Morgantown, West Virginia. In regard to the West Virginia University Council for Women's Concerns, Charon served as a board member. Charon also served as elected president for the Monongalia Bar Association and was also on the board of Legal Aid. Later in her life, Charon was appointed as a State Administrative law judge in unemployment.
While Charon's work was abundant, she is most notably remembered for three cases. The first case was in regard to sex discrimination against West Virginia University and the state of West Virginia. This case won at the Supreme Court level in West Virginia and led to better hiring protocols within the University. Secondly. Charon was involved in an employment case where an individual was fired, which was overturned. Lastly. Charon was heavily involved with the topic of adoption of gay couples in the United States. She developed a way throughout the court for second parent adoptions.
Charon passed away in 2004 after a battle with myelogenous leukemia. Charon's legacy still lives on through the Regina Charon Fellowship for Law and Public Interest within the West Virginia University College of Law. Also, an award was established in her honor for attorneys that advocate for civil rights and justice throughout administration, this award being named the Regina Charon Zealous Advocate Award.
0.30 Linear Feet (1 document case, 2.5 in; 1 flat storage box, 1 in.; 1 oversize folder, 0.125 in.)
0.25 Gigabytes (16 .tif files and 2 .pdf files)
English
West Virginia and Regional History Center/ West Virginia University/ 1549 University Avenue/ P.O. Box 6069/ Morgantown, WV 26506-6069/ Phone: 304-293-3536/ Fax: 304-293-3981/ URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Original acquisitions, gift of Charon, Nyles, 2022 January 05 and 2022 December 01.
Addendum of 2024 May 03, transferral of West Virginia and Regional History Center.
Addendum of 2024 July 23, gift of Charon, Nyles.
Part of the West Virginia and Regional History Center Repository