The 19th spoke with 11 Black women who serve as deans in American law schools. These leaders discuss teaching law with a “race- and gender-conscious lens,” navigating political divisions and the rising number of Black women leading the country’s law schools.
Excerpt:
When Camille Nelson was appointed dean of Suffolk University Law School in 2010, few other Black women worked there or held similar positions at other law schools.
“I was the only Black woman there, and the sense of always being alone is one that I think people should not underestimate,” Nelson, now dean of the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, told The 19th. The reality she faced, which is common for many women of color, can create feelings of isolation, insecurity and frustration. For years, Nelson was conscious of how her actions might affect Black women who wished to follow.
“The sense that one possible mistake will reverberate beyond oneself and impact the ability of future generations coming up behind me to have the same opportunities weighs heavy,” she said.
But she is less alone now. Last year, the number of Black women leading American law schools reached a high of 28. Two are interim deans. Twenty-one of them were appointed dean for the first time within the last four years. A number of them are also the first Black woman to hold their position.
These Black women deans are guiding their faculty and students through a time of contentious debates about academic teachings about systemic racism and inequities. For many of them, part of that leadership means helping their institutions better understand the country’s history and how it inextricably shapes the law today.
The 19th is an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics and policy.
‌
‌
‌