Morrison Remick "Mott" Waite was an American attorney, jurist, and politician from Ohio who served as the seventh chief justice of the United States from 1874 until his death in 1888. During his tenure, the Waite Court took a narrow interpretation of federal authority related to laws and amendments that were enacted during the Reconstruction Era to expand the rights of freedmen and protect them from attacks by white supremacist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. Born: November 29, 1816 Died: March 23, 1888 In office: January 21, 1874 – March 23, 1888 Wiki link