Charles E. Wyzanski, Jr.: Lawyer, Judge, Public Citizen in Massachusetts and Beyond

For much of the 20th century, Charles E. Wyzanski, Jr., the presenter's father, engaged the leading individuals and intellectuals of his time and left his imprint on a surprising number of them. While a first-year law student in 1927, Wyzanski received a handwritten note from Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, in which Holmes hoped that whenever Wyzanski's work "seemed to present only mean details, he might realize that every detail has the mystery of the universe behind it and keep up [his] heart with undying faith." Wyzanski did just that until his death in 1986, influencing to a remarkable degree the legal, political, intellectual, and moral life of his times.