Derrick Bell

Date of Birth: November 6, 1930

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Date of Death: October 5, 2011

Biography

Derrick Albert Bell Jr. was an influential American lawyer, professor, and civil rights activist born on November 6, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is best known for his pioneering work in critical race theory, a theoretical framework that examines society and culture as they relate to categorizations of race, law, and power. Bell’s career was marked by his commitment to social justice and his willingness to challenge established norms within the legal and educational systems. Bell attended Duquesne University for his undergraduate studies and went on to earn a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He began his career as a staff attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, where he worked on several landmark civil rights cases. In 1969, he became the first tenured African American professor at Harvard Law School, a position from which he would later resign in protest over the school’s failure to hire more women and minority faculty members. Throughout his career, Bell authored several influential books, including “Race, Racism, and American Law,” which is widely used in law schools across the United States. His other notable works include “Faces at the Bottom of the Well” and “And We Are Not Saved.” Bell’s work has had a lasting impact on the fields of legal studies, education, and civil rights. Derrick Bell passed away on October 5, 2011, but his legacy continues to influence scholars, activists, and educators around the world.

5 Interesting Facts about Derrick Bell

1. Derrick Bell was the first African American to become a tenured professor at Harvard Law School.

2. He resigned from his position at Harvard twice in protest: once over the university’s failure to hire women of color, and again over the school’s insufficient efforts to increase faculty diversity.

3. Bell served as the dean of the University of Oregon School of Law, becoming the first African American to lead a non-historically black law school.

4. He was a prolific writer, and his book “Race, Racism, and American Law” is considered a cornerstone text in the study of civil rights law.

5. Bell was also known for his use of storytelling and allegory in his scholarly work, a method that made complex legal and social issues more accessible.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Derrick Bell

1. “Racism is a permanent part of American society.”

2. “The struggle for racial justice is never-ending, and it requires constant vigilance and activism.”

3. “I live to harass white folks.”

4. “Critical race theory questions the very foundations of the liberal order, including equality theory, legal reasoning, Enlightenment rationalism, and neutral principles of constitutional law.”

5. “Our battles are not yet over, and our victories are far from complete.”