University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law

The urban public law school with a small liberal arts feel

Clarence M. Kelley Diploma Collection

Clarence M. Kelley was best known for his roles as Chief of Police in Kansas City, Missouri (1961) and Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (1973 Nixon appointment). What many people do not realize is that Kelley was a Kansas City native who graduated from Northeast High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from the University of Kansas in 1936. He went on to earn the Juris Doctorate in 1940 from the University of Kansas City Law School. He was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1977. Clarence Kelley died in 1997.

The Leon E. Bloch Law Library was the recipient of six diplomas and two certificates awarded to Clarence Kelley. The collection was donated to the UMKC Law Library by Kelley’s widow, Shirley Dyckes, probably in 1997 following the death of her husband. The diplomas and certificates have been digitized and made freely available on the Internet.

B.A. from University of Kansas 1936

J.D. from University of Missouri - Kansas City 1940

Honorary J.D. from Culver-Stockton College 1975

Honorary Ph.D. from Westminster College 1976

Bar Admission from the Supreme Court 1977

Honorary J.D. from Southeastern University 1977

Honorary J.D. Proclamation from Southeastern University 1977

Honorary J.D. from Western State University 1978

UMKC MERLIN Catalog holdings

Clarence Marion Kelley diploma collection, 1936-1978


Kelley, Clarence M.
Kelley : the story of an FBI director / by Clarence M. Kelley and James Kirkpatrick Davis ; [frontispiece illustration by Freda L. Reiter]. Kansas City : Andrews, McMeel & Parker, c1987.

United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary.
Title Nomination of Clarence M. Kelley to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation : hearings before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, Ninety-third Congress, first session ... June 19, 20, and 25, 1973. Published Washington : U.S. G.P.O., 1973.





The photo of Clarence Marion Kelley was found here.

Western Historical Manuscripts Collection on Kelley is available here.

Kansas City Police Department historical information.

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