02.01.21 —Northeastern Law will celebrate Black History Month 2021 with a slate of virtual events, including a bookclub on February 4, hosted by Professor Patricia Williams, one of the most provocative intellectuals in American law and a pioneer of both the law and literature and critical race theory movements in American legal theory.

The national theme for Black History Month 2021 is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity,” according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), founders of Black History Month.

“Every February since 1976, the US has celebrated the achievements of African Americans during Black History Month. The month-long celebration puts those accomplishments and milestones into focus here at Northeastern Law as well — but we also proudly celebrate both the accomplishments of African Americans and all people of color and rise to the challenges we face in ensuring equal justice every day of the year,” said Dean James Hackney.

All of the events will be held virtually and are free and open to the public. Registration is required.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENT CALENDAR 

02.04.21 | 7:00 – 8:00 PM ET | Zoom
 Virtual Bookclub on Racial Inequality
 Northeastern Law’s Alumni/ae Association Board of Directors Community Building Committee and the Office of Development and Alumni/ae Relations hosted a virtual bookclub on racial inequality on Thursday, February 2. The book discussed was Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, which The New York Times describes as, “An instant American classic and almost certainly the keynote nonfiction book of the American century thus far.” The discussion was moderated by Professor Patricia Williams, one of the most provocative intellectuals in American law and a pioneer of both the law and literature and critical race theory movements in American legal theory.

02.18.21 | 12:00 -1:00 PM ET | Zoom
Making Black Lives Matter in Boston and Beyond: A Conversation with Leader, Activist and Change Maker Paul Francisco
Join us for this exclusive and empowering interview with Paul Francisco, chief diversity officer and head of workforce development programs at State Street Corporation, by Tai-Lyn Parboosingh ’23, on making change for racial justice in your workplace and communities.


02.18.21 | 6:00 – 7:00 PM ET | Zoom
Confronting Racial Injustice Panel
Slavery, Wealth Creation and Intergenerational Wealth
From the 17th century to the 21st, enslavement — even when it took place outside of Massachusetts — shaped the province and the state in significant ways. It was and has been central to creating wealth: family fortunes, institutional endowments, and public budgets in the Commonwealth have all benefited from its spoils. This panel discussion featuring academic and public historians explores Massachusetts’ connections to slavery and the trade of enslaved people, the wealth — and the poverty — enslavement created and bequeathed, and how the legacies of enslavement are reflected in injustices that haunt Massachusetts to this day.

02.25.21 | 6:00 – 7:30 PM ET | ZOOM
Lost and Found: Intellectual Property, Race and Restorative Justice
Join Northeastern Law’s Center for Law, Innovation and Creativity (CLIC) and its Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project (CRRJ) for an interdisciplinary conversation exploring the racial gap in invention and patenting in the past and present, considering how IP regimes have been used to exploit BIPOC intellect and creatorship and what is needed to reverse this historic inequity and use IP regimes to develop a more equitable society.
>> Register online

About Northeastern University School of Law

The nation’s leader in experiential legal education, Northeastern University School of Law offers the longest-running, most extensive experience-based legal education program in the country and is a national leader in legal education reform. Founded with cooperative legal education as the cornerstone of its program, Northeastern guarantees its students unparalleled practical legal work experiences. All students participate in full-time legal placements, and can choose from the more than 1,500 employers worldwide participating in the school’s signature Cooperative Legal Education Program. The future of legal education since 1968, Northeastern University School of Law blends theory and practice, providing students with a unique set of skills and experience to successfully practice law.

For more information, contact d.feldman@northeastern.edu.