▁one ▁of ▁the ▁found ers ▁of ▁the ▁Federation ▁of ▁Associ ated ▁Club s , ▁a ▁local ▁group ▁of ▁African ▁American ▁organizations ▁that ▁worked ▁on ▁civil ▁rights ▁reform . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁the ▁feder ation ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁ending ▁seg reg ation ▁in ▁Indian apolis ▁the aters . ▁▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁Richard son ▁continued ▁to ▁support ▁civil ▁rights ▁reform . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁Indiana ▁Board ▁of ▁Public ▁W elf are ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁board ▁for ▁four ▁years . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁Richard son ▁cha ired ▁a ▁committee ▁that ▁draft ed , ▁spons ored , ▁and ▁lo bb ied ▁to ▁secure ▁passage ▁of ▁Indiana ' s ▁" Ant i - H ate " ▁Law ▁to ▁eliminate ▁ra cial ▁seg reg ation ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁That ▁same ▁year ▁he ▁also ▁secured ▁a ▁court ▁inj unction ▁that ▁bar red ▁D ix iec rat ▁Party ▁candidates , ▁including ▁St rom ▁Th ur mond , ▁from ▁the ▁Indiana ▁ball ot . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁Richard son ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁special ▁judge ▁for ▁Mar ion ▁County ▁C riminal ▁Court . ▁ ▁The ▁long time ▁civil ▁rights ▁lawyer ▁is ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁efforts ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁to ▁secure ▁passage ▁of ▁Indiana ' s ▁school ▁des eg reg ation ▁law . ▁Richard son ▁played ▁a ▁major ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁effort ▁as ▁a ▁lo bb y ist ▁and ▁policy ▁strateg