Kimberlé Crenshaw, the Promise Institute Professor of Human Rights at the UCLA School of Law, has been honored for her groundbreaking work in critical race studies and educational advocacy.
Crenshaw, one of the founders of critical race theory, received the Sojourner Truth Award, which highlights women leaders making a difference in their communities. She received this honor alongside U.S. Representative Robyn Kell while attending the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference in September. In her acceptance speech, Crenshaw spoke about the importance of protecting museums and other institutions of memory in order to inspire the next generation of courageous advocates.
Additionally, Crenshaw, who holds a faculty appointment at Columbia School of Law, was recognized with the Presidential Award at the Association for the Study of African American Life and History’s 110th Annual Conference in Atlanta, last month. The award recognized her work, including the Freedom to Learn campaign, which rallies civil rights and social justice organizations to fight the suppression of Black history in education through her think tank, the African American Policy Forum.
The Harvard Law alumna additionally took home the National Bar Association’s Justice & Impact Award in September for her legal scholarship and teachings around justice, race studies and constitutional law. The association is America’s oldest and largest global network of predominantly Black American judges and attorneys.
She capped off the month with another honor — induction into the McKinley High School Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, along with her parents, as she received the Distinguished Alumna Award. In her acceptance speech, Crenshaw emphasized the value of public education.
“This induction was a strong reminder that the fight over education is not theoretical. It’s personal and it impacts all of us,” she said. “We are all forged by the teachers, texts and families who raise us. And it is my profound hope and life’s mission to continue the legacy and impact of public education in my home state of Ohio and across America.”
