Photo: Professor Etienne C. Toussaint, ABA President-Elect Michelle A. Behnke and 3L Law Student Latia Harvin
A variety of speakers and guests came together for the law school’s annual Celebration of the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., starting with the university’s “A Touch of Faith” Gospel Choir, which included 2L Krishna Alexander.
Michelle Behnke, president-elect of the American Bar Association, delivered the keynote address, "Why We Can't Wait: Liberty, Equality and the Fight for Justice.” In it she emphasized the importance of equity and inclusion in ensuring a more just world.
“Diversity in the legal profession helps to demonstrate that our nation's laws are created and administered for the benefit of all,” Behnke said. “A diverse bench and a diverse bar are important for inspiring greater faith in the rule of law because it helps signal to everyone that their perspectives and welfare are being taken into account.”
After her remarks, the Rice School of Law presented three awards recognizing those who embody King’s vision of civil rights and social justice through lawyering and legal advocacy.
Every Black Girl, Inc. received the Keeper of the Dream Award for organizing and providing programming that addresses the conditions leading to Black girls being pushed out of schools and becoming at risk for arrest, confinement and incarceration.
The Bailey Law Firm, LLC, received the Distinguished Service Award for their commitment to advocating for clients who have been harmed by misconduct and negligence, as well as for their countless hours of community service, and pro bono work.
This year also marked the first recipient of the Community Changemakers Award, given to a Rice School of Law student organization. BLSA received the award for mentoring younger students, coordinating volunteer events for law students, and for the numerous resources they provide to their members. The semi-finalists were the Lincoln-Douglas Society and the Carolina Equality Alliance.
The evening concluded with a special recognition for Jacob Joseph Martin, who sought admittance to the university’s law school in 1950 and, despite his merits and efforts, was not admitted.
“Today, Jacob Martin is no longer a footnote in our university's history,” said 1L Caleb Phelps on behalf of Bobby Donaldson, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Civil Rights History and Research that co-sponsored the event. “Recognizing his return to the University of South Carolina, 75 years after his application was unjustly denied.”
In Martin’s honor, Etienne Toussaint, the associate professor of law who established the most recent iteration of the law school’s annual MLK event, announced the USC Rice School of Law commissioned a brick to be engraved with Martin's name and placed in the law school courtyard.
“We cannot erase the past, we can only reckon with its enduring impact,” Toussaint said. “Mr. Martin's legacy will be forever present in this space motivating all who pass through here to carry forward his courageous spirit of perseverance and justice.”