William Hobbs Childress (1911 - 1993) - “Pioneer in Kentucky Civil Rights” As a lawmaker serving a term in the Kentucky General Assembly’s House of Representatives from Louisville, Kentucky, Childress sponsored the legislation, which led to the creation of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, March 21, 1960. A public servant for most of his 82 years, Childress was a Deputy Circuit Court decades before he retired in 1982. He was active in several civil rights and democratic organizations including the NAACP and the Urban League. Childress laid a foundation for many of the civil rights advancements that continue today, fulfilling his legacy to further human dignity for all people.