BHS Day 10: Charles Hamilton Houston

Hi! Last week we focused on the medical portion of this Spotlight, and this week I thought we'd focus on the legal portion. The great thing is that so far, whether the chosen person for the Spotlight was rooted primarily in the medical or legal field, they've also been educators as well. I'd like to feature someone whose primary focus was education at some point throughout the month, but so far I think we're still covering it in a way. I've rambled enough. On to the Spotlight! 

Source

Name: Charles Hamilton Houston, 1895-1950

Profession: Lawyer and professor

Why is the Spotlight on him today? For his contributions to the legal industry and his groundbreaking accomplishments with establishing laws for civil rights

Accomplishments:
--First Black student to graduate with a Doctorate in Law from Harvard University and the third Black person ever to graduate with a Doctorate degree
--Joined the NAACP as the first chief counsel
--Helped develop a campaign which led to the overturning of the Jim Crow laws and ending segregation in schools
--The first Black lawyer to serve on the editorial board of the Harvard Law Review, a student-run publication
--Helped Howard University become a fully accredited university
--Was able to establish a legal team of Black legal professionals at a university, which was unheard of at the time
--Was a member of the first Black intercollegiate fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha
--Throughout his tenure, assisted in the creation and rise of civil rights law
--Posthumously awarded the Spingarn Medal in the 1960s
--Was posthumously honored by Howard University by having the main building renamed for him
--Was also posthumously honored by having a number of law chairs and scholarships created in his name --Trained and took on Thurgood Marshall as his protege 

Further reading links:
Charles Hamilton Houston | NAACP

People like Charles Hamilton Houston are a perfect example of why I wanted to create the Spotlight posts for Black History Month in the first place. Thurgood Marshall was mentored by Hamilton Houston, yet most sources that mention Marshall don't include that little tidbit. Charles Hamilton Houston really is an unsung hero of Black history, and again, I recommend checking out the Further Reading links so you can learn more about everything he did throughout his life. I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you tomorrow!