Law School Holds First-Ever Reunion of Black Alumni

For the first time in its history, the Harvard Law School (HLS) held a reunion for its black graduates this weekend.

Nearly 600 black alumni--one third of living graduates--traveled from as far away as Europe and the Caribbean to attend. Alumni were present from every U.S. state.

"It is the first conference of its kind," said reunion chairperson David B. Wilkins '77, who is Kirkland and Ellis professor of law. "The alumni were invited by the school, not by the BLSA (Black Law Students Association)."

According to Wilkins, the BLSA reunions attract mostly recent graduates. This year, what he called "very generous" funding by both HLS and the University allowed for a more all-encompassing reunion.

Because black students long struggled to gain access to legal education at top schools--and were to subject to racism and prejudice once there--one of the main objectives of the reunion was to celebrate the legacy of "diversity and inclusion," Wilkins said.

Although HLS was their stepping stone to successful careers, several alumni said they were uncomfortable coming back to a place that had not always welcomed them with open arms.

"Many of the alumni made a long emotional journey," Wilkins said. "For many of the graduates, HLS was not a pleasant memory. Many have not been back since they graduated."

Wilkins said he felt the complications that came with being a black student.

"I had all the issues coming with being the first," he said. "Today's class faces perhaps even more questioning of their right to be here, and they have to face the instability of the outside world. The issues are different. The message of the conference is that it is important that these graduates go out and succeed, that they be as excellent as possible."

According to Reginald K. Brown, who graduated in 1981, one of the most memorable moments of the three-day event was the group photograph, taken on the steps of Langdell Library.

Seeing so many successful black lawyers together made it impossible to single out any one individual as the big star, he said.

"It was absolutely extraordinary," he said.

They event's keynote address was delivered by Kenneth I. Chenault, who graduated from the Law School in 1976 and is now the CEO designate of American Express.

He later received the HLS Association Award, which is given to recognize service to the legal profession, to society or to HLS.

The Law School presented its Medal of Freedom to the litigation team responsible for arguing the side of integration in the landmark 1954 decision Brown v. Board of Education.

Four were HLS graduates: William T. Coleman, Jr., Charles T. Duncan, William H. Hastie and Charles H. Houston. Cecilia Marshall was in attendance and accepted the award on behalf of her late husband, Thurgood Marshall, who was a Supreme Court Justice himself.

Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Director of the W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African-American Research; and University President Neil L. Rudenstine also spoke.