Herbert Henderson

Lawyer/Civil Rights Activist

Herbert Henderson came to Huntington in 1958 and opened his law office. He was the founder and partner of Henderson, Henderson & Staples, LC.

He was an instructor of Black History at Marshall University from 1967-1980. He served as the President of the NAACP from 1966 through 1986 and President of the Huntington Chapter of the WV State College Alumni Association. Herbert Henderson was also a member of the National Board of Directors for the NAACP from 1980 until 1992 and served as Interim General Counsel for the National NAACP in 1984 and an additional term from 1989 until 1990.

As a Civil Rights leader, Herbert helped lead the fight for establishment of a strong WV Human Rights Commission and he was a strong proponent for State recognition of MLK’s birthday. Herbert Henderson was instrumental in supervising school desegregation and public accommodations in WV. He facilitated hiring of minorities and women as State Troopers.

In 2012, the WV Legislature created the Herbert H. Henderson Office of Minority Affairs in the Governor’s Office.

Mr. Henderson was a member of Ebenezer United Methodist Church, the NAACP, the Mountain State Bar Association and the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.