#36 What he said: A conversation with my guy friend

Today's Guy: The Late Dr. Julius L. Chambers
How I know him: He was a Civil Rights legend and at one time my professor
Topic: The life of Julius L. Chambers

I wanted to pay tribute to a tremendous man I had the pleasure of meeting in my final year of law school: Dr. Julius LeVonne Chambers. When I was a 3L, Dr. Chambers served as the Charles Hamilton Houston Distinguished Professor of Law at North Carolina Central University. 




When I was six years old, I decided I wanted to become an attorney because of a book I read about Thurgood Marshall. In my mind, I would become a Civil Rights attorney and the first Black female Supreme Court Justice. No one had the heart to tell me that a poor little girl from a rural town in North Carolina growing up in the 80s could not actually accomplish this...so I sat out on my journey to see it come to fruition.

As a third year law student, I had the honor of coming closer to SCJ Marshall than I had ever imagined I would. At some point during the end of my second year or first semester of my third year, we learned that Julius Chambers would teach a seminar class on Civil Rights. Dr. Chambers worked under SCJ Marshall for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund well before I was born. Not only did I see Dr. Chambers's name all around NCCU's campus, I had also read his cases in my law books. I ran to sign up!

I received the news that Professor Chambers had passed while I was with my parents on Saturday. Not only was I saddened by the news, I was extremely humbled by the experience I had sitting by him as he lectured our seminar class in a soft spoken voice.

Professor Chambers spoke in such a soft tone, that I tried to sit as close by him in class as possible. My class had to do projects on Civil Rights issues of the current time and present those issues in a unique way. I remember my project was on the fundamental right to an education in light of the Leandro case in North Carolina. "Under what theory do you suppose a person has a Constitutional right to an education, Ms. *insert my last name*?" was Professor Chambers's challenge to me.

So I began my work trying to figure that out. It seems like a simple question. But in law school, no question was simple. And a question coming from a man who had appeared before the Supreme Court of the United States on eight separate occasions, winning every case, was a huge and complex one.

This man's work impacted so many aspects of my life from my love of law and education to my love of sports...including football! One of his cases led to the integration of the Shrine Bowl here in NC. Many things Dr. Chambers accomplished are taken for granted these days, and even complained about. I now realize how much I took for granted my time under his instruction.

We would meet on Wednesdays, if my memory serves me correctly. On a couple of occasions, I spoke to Professor Chambers after class. I told him I had once wanted to become a Civil Rights attorney, but it just seemed like there wasn't a real opportunity to do so and be able to pay bills at the same time. "There are no short cuts to practicing Civil Rights law, Ms. *insert my last name*," was what he told me.

Yeah, no short cuts was right. I have filed one Civil Rights case in federal court and it was an arduous and painstaking task. I lost. I could not imagine doing this repeatedly on top of having people threaten your life, and attempt to follow through on those threats. However, Professor Chambers actually experienced this.

Not only was he winning SCOTUS cases, but he was dodging bombs whilst he did it. Professor Chambers's home, car, and office were bombed in separate attacks as he led the charge for desegregation and Civil Rights. The thing that truly saddens and shames me, is that at the time I had the opportunity to sit and chat with Professor Chambers, I had no knowledge of the depth of his background.

Yes, I knew his cases and I knew he was once chancellor of NCCU, but I knew very little of his upbringing or even the bombings. So, on Saturday I realized that even with the opportunity I had to sit with Dr. Chambers, I had missed out on a lot. I had taken for granted that experience in so many ways.

I did present my case on education as a fundamental right to Dr. Chambers in front of my class. He peppered me with questions, sometimes smiling...other times with a furrowed brow. "You're going to do well Ms. *insert my last name*, but there are some things you need to work on..."




It is yet amazing to me that a man with such a soft voice had such a loud impact. Simply amazing. May God rest his soul, keep his family, and reward his sacrifices. God Bless you Dr. Chambers, may you forever rest in peace.



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