Message from Dean Browne C. Lewis

In my last message, I focused on the pandemic, the presidential election, and the political upheaval in our country. As I write this message, conditions are noticeably better. Flowers are blooming, the days are longer, and birds are chirping outside my window. Spring has definitely put in an appearance. I hear students in the hallways chatting and laughing because they are so excited to be back together, and planning summer vacations. The Nest has definitely been revived. As I look at my legal eagles, I am so very proud to have the privilege of serving as their dean.

As I write this brief message, we are on the verge of the first black woman joining the United States Supreme Court. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has a brilliant legal mind and a wealth of experience that makes her uniquely suited to serve on the highest court in the land. (Her father, Johnny Brown, is a graduate of North Carolina Central University). During the confirmation hearing, Senator Cory Booker told Judge Jackson: “You have earned this spot. You are worthy. You are a great American.” Those words brought tears to Judge Jackson’s eyes and to the eyes of many people who were watching. Those words embody what we have been telling our students since our inception. Based on the accomplishments of our legal eagles, it is clear that the message is being received.

I often walk the building and chat with the students. Lately, our conversations have centered around judges and the power that they wield. Judges issue major decisions that impact our lives. NC Central University School of Law exists primarily because of the actions of judges. In 1935, Lloyd Lionel Gaines, a black man, applied to be admitted into the University of Missouri School of Law. Sy Woodson Canada, a white man who served as the registrar of the law school, did not realize that Gaines was black, so he accepted his application. However, when Canada received Gaines’ academic transcript from Lincoln University, an HBCU, he realized his “mistake.” Then, he denied Gaines’ entry into the law school. Consequently, Charles Hamilton Houston and the NAACP filed suit on Gaines’ behalf. Ultimately, the Supreme Court upheld the “separate but equal” doctrine. It required the state of Missouri to create a law school for black students or to admit Gaines into the white law school. In response, the Missouri legislature established a law school at Lincoln University. Several southern legislatures, including North Carolina, followed Missouri’s lead. Thus, NCCU School of Law was created, so black students would not have to be permitted to enroll in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. NCCU School of Law has been educating judicial eagles since its inception.

Prior to starting my tenure as dean almost two years ago, I was aware of the rich history of NCCU School of Law. However, I did not know that we had such a presence in the judiciary until I started encountering our judicial eagles. Shortly after I was selected as the new dean, I received a congratulatory telephone call from Judge Elaine O’Neal, the interim dean, welcoming me to the Nest. Judge O’Neal was the first woman appointed as chief district court judge in Durham County and the first female North Carolina Superior Court judge in Durham Court. Currently, she is the first black woman to be elected as mayor of the city of Durham. One of my first acts as dean was to engage with our Board of Visitors (BOV). Four judges serving on our BOV are Judges Patricia Evans, Monte D. Watkins, Jared Rice, and Jefferson Griffin. Judge Evans is a Durham County District Court Judge who tutors at-risk children. Judge Watkins is a judge for Division V of the Tennessee 20th Judicial District Criminal Court who has a reputation for showing fairness to both the defense and the prosecution in all his cases. After serving as a city councilman, Judge Rice was appointed to replace his mother as judge on the New Rochelle City Court in New York. Judge Griffin is a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals who also serves as a Captain in the North Carolina Army National Guard. During my first few months, I participated in listening sessions with NCCU School of Law alumni. During one of those sessions, I had the privilege of meeting Judges Virgil Walker and Keith Williams. Judge Walker is a judge for the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania and Judge Williams is a magisterial district judge for Delaware County in Pennsylvania.

I have had the opportunity to work beside and interact with several of our judicial eagles. Former Chief Justice Beasley appointed me to the Commission on Fairness and Equity. While serving on the Commission, I had the chance to work with Michael Morgan, Associate Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. Prior to her appointment as District Court Judge in District 14, Judge Dorothy Hairston Mitchell was an Associate Clinical Professor and the Supervising Attorney of the Juvenile Law Clinic at NCCU School of Law. She also served as the Legal Director of the Center for Child & Family Health and the CoDirector of the Social Justice and Racial Equity Institute. Recently, I spent time with Judge A. Leon Stanback, Jr. and his family when we named the conference room in our Legal Clinic in his honor. Judge Stanback served as Superior Court Judge for the 14th Judicial District of the Third Division of the Superior Court in Durham.

I am immensely proud of our Legal Eagles who have recently become judges. These include Reggie McKnight (District Court 26 E), Justin Minshew (District Court 8A), Morgan Swinson (District Court 4), Kristin Kelly Broyles (District Court 21), and Cull Jordan III (Cumberland County).

My list of our judicial eagles is not exhaustive. I look forward to meeting more of our alumni who are on the bench. Moreover, I am convinced that many of the legal eagles in our Nest today are the judges of tomorrow. NCCU School of Law is the place where judicial eagles are birthed. Read the stories in this magazine and judge for yourself.

Browne C. Lewis

Browne C. Lewis, Dean NC Central University School of Law