▁Indiana ▁National ▁Guard . ▁He ▁also ▁helped ▁end ▁disc rim ination ▁in ▁Indiana ▁University ' s ▁d orm itories . ▁( I U ▁previously ▁prohib ited ▁African ▁American ▁students ▁from ▁living ▁in ▁campus ▁housing .) ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁Richard son ▁and ▁six ▁other ▁legisl ators ▁were ▁co - sp ons ors ▁of ▁a ▁bill ▁that ▁was ▁passed ▁to ▁end ▁ra cial ▁disc rim ination ▁in ▁public ▁accommod ations . ▁▁ ▁Richard son ▁also ▁spons ored ▁a ▁fair ▁employ ment ▁practices ▁law ▁that ▁prohib ited ▁state ▁or ▁municipal ▁corpor ations ▁from ▁disc rimin ating ▁in ▁their ▁contract s ▁for ▁public ▁works ▁projects . ▁However , ▁his ▁two ▁attempts ▁to ▁pass ▁legisl ation ▁to ▁strength en ▁the ▁state ' s ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Law ▁were ▁un success ful . ▁Richard son ' s ▁legisl ative ▁actions ▁earned ▁him ▁a ▁reputation ▁of ▁a ▁" polit ical ▁ma ver ick " ▁and ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁did ▁not ▁nomin ate ▁him ▁for ▁a ▁seat ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁legisl ature ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁Richard son ▁was ▁an ▁att orney ▁for ▁Home ▁O wn ers ▁Lo an ▁Corporation ▁in ▁Indiana , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁remaining ▁a ▁civil ▁rights ▁activ ist . ▁From ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁he ▁was ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁Libert ies ▁Division ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Bar ▁Association . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁he ▁was