Z. Alexander Looby
Chi Boulé

Archon Z. Alexander Looby is a native of Antigua, the British West Indies. At an early age he came to the United States, where he acquired his collegiate education and his professional training. At Howard University, he distinguished himself in debating and in other student activities, In 1922, he was graduated with honors. Three years later, at Columbia University, he won the degree of Bachelor of Laws. The next year, 1926, at New York University, he earned the S. J. D. degree.

In the fall of 1926, Dr. Looby came to Nashville, where he has fashioned a notable career in education, in the law, and in citizenship. At the outset, he joined the faculty of Fisk University. Thorough as teacher of business administration, proficient as coach of debating, challenging as public speaker, effective in student guidance, and forthright and progressive in thought and character, Dr. Looby won the respect of colleagues on the faculty and the administration and confidence of the student body. After two years, he resigned from Fisk University. From 1932 to 1937. with outstanding success, he taught at the Tennessee A. and I. State College. Presently, he is lecturer in business law at Fisk University, and professor of medical jurisprudence at Meharry Medical College.

Since 1928, Dr. Looby has been a lawyer. Quickly earning the respect of bench and bar, he has also won eminence as advocate and counsel, For the nation's largest minority, he has fought the good fight in the battle for civil rights. In the school teacher salary equalization cases, at both Nashville and Jackson, Tennessee, he served as victorious counsel. In the Columbia race riot cases, he exhibited high moral courage and profound legal knowledge and acumen. Citizens, appreciating his conduct in that cause, gave him a handsome, new limousine. At the present time, Archon Looby is counsel in the cases of Negroes seeking to enter the University of Tennessee and demanding admission into the high school of Anderson County. He is a member of the National Legal Committee of the NAACP: chairman of the Legal Redress Committee of the Nashville Branch NAACP; and local counsel for several insurance companies, including the North Carolina Mutual Life, the Atlanta Life, and the Universal Life.

As a citizen, Archon Looby has continued to be highly effective. In 1947, at the Charter Day Dinner, Howard University recognized his services with the Alumni Award. The people of Nashville have twice supported him as candidate for member of the City Council. At the forthcoming election of May 10, 1951, he will again be a candidate for Counciman. Recently, by means of the attractive and well-appointed Looby apartments he has helped to relieve Nashville's housing shortage. In politics, he is a Republican; in religion, an Episcopalian. His college fraternity is the Omega Psi Phi. From 1941 to 1945, he served as Grand Basileus. Fraternally also, he is connected with the Masons and the Elks. He is a member of the Agora Assembly, a social-civic club of local distinction and long standing. In 1934, he was married to Miss Grafta Mosby, then a popular teacher in the public schools of Memphis.

Reprinted from The Boulé Journal, April 1951, Volume 16, Number 3