Charles Black
Encyclopedia
Charles Lund Black, Jr. was an American scholar of constitutional law
, which he taught as professor of law from 1947 to 1999. He is best known for his role in the historic Brown v. Board of Education
Supreme Court
case, as well as for his Impeachment: A Handbook, which served for many Americans as a trustworthy analysis of the law of impeachment during the Watergate scandal
.
Born in Austin, Texas
, Black graduated from the University of Texas at Austin
in 1935 and later obtained a master's degree
in English. He received his LL.B. from Yale Law School
in 1943, then served in the Army Air Corps
as a teacher and as an associate at Davis, Polk, Wardwell, Sunderland & Kiendl
. In 1947, he became a professor of law at the Columbia University Law School, where he wrote legal briefs for the successful 1954 Brown v. Board of Education suit. He also was involved in civil rights cases in the south.
In 1956, he joined Yale Law School as its first Henry R. Luce Professor of Jurisprudence. He was appointed Sterling Professor of Law in 1975. During his thirty-one-year career at Yale, he wrote numerous books, including The People and the Court, Structure and Relationship in Constitutional Law, Impeachment: A Handbook.
An outspoken critic of the death penalty, Professor Black also authored Capital Punishment: The Inevitability of Caprice and Mistake. With Alexander Bickel
, Black made Yale Law School one of the world's leading centers for the study of constitutional law.
Black also co-authored The Law of Admiralty with Grant Gilmore
. He often told students that when he and Gilmore were young professors, he decided that he needed to write a "black letter law" book as an alternative to relying solely on constitutional law to make his reputation. Although he was mainly known as a constitutional legal scholar, his work with Gilmore on Admiralty became canonical, and "The Law of Admiralty" is one of the most influential law books ever written in a practical area of law. Admiralty is the law of the sea, of shipping and shipping contracts, and is a functional, practical area of international law, in which uniformity of the application of law in ports throughout the world is important, and as a result it has evolved somewhat differently from other areas of federal law. "Gilmore and Black," as it was often called, became so influential that it is one of the few treatises that federal admiralty and international courts cite almost as though it were a primary source of law. It is the most cited work of maritime law in history.
Black was an idiosyncratic teacher who was fond of telling stories in a strong Texas drawl that sometimes puzzled his students as to the relevance of the case at hand.
Black was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
in 1976. He returned to Columbia Law School
in 1986, when his wife Barbara Aronstein Black
became dean there. He served as adjunct professor of law until 1999. He died in New York City
aged 85.
A lifelong fan of jazz, he was featured in the Ken Burns
documentary Jazz: A History of American Music
, where he related hearing Louis Armstrong
perform at an Austin hotel in 1931. This experience, he said, fomented his interest in race and civil rights.
In his New York Times obituary, former student Akhil Amar commented, "He was my hero. So many of the great moral issues of the twentieth century seem clear in retrospect, but were quite controversial at the time. He had the moral courage to go against his race, his class, his social circle."
Constitutional law
Constitutional law is the body of law which defines the relationship of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the legislature and the judiciary....
, which he taught as professor of law from 1947 to 1999. He is best known for his role in the historic Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
case, as well as for his Impeachment: A Handbook, which served for many Americans as a trustworthy analysis of the law of impeachment during the Watergate scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
.
Born in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Black graduated from the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
in 1935 and later obtained a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in English. He received his LL.B. from Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
in 1943, then served in the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
as a teacher and as an associate at Davis, Polk, Wardwell, Sunderland & Kiendl
Davis Polk & Wardwell
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is an international law firm. The firm employs more than 800 attorneys worldwide and is headquartered in New York City. The firm represents many of the world's largest companies and leading financial institutions, and is best known for its corporate and litigation...
. In 1947, he became a professor of law at the Columbia University Law School, where he wrote legal briefs for the successful 1954 Brown v. Board of Education suit. He also was involved in civil rights cases in the south.
In 1956, he joined Yale Law School as its first Henry R. Luce Professor of Jurisprudence. He was appointed Sterling Professor of Law in 1975. During his thirty-one-year career at Yale, he wrote numerous books, including The People and the Court, Structure and Relationship in Constitutional Law, Impeachment: A Handbook.
An outspoken critic of the death penalty, Professor Black also authored Capital Punishment: The Inevitability of Caprice and Mistake. With Alexander Bickel
Alexander Bickel
Alexander Mordecai Bickel was a law professor and expert on the United States Constitution. One of the most influential constitutional commentators of the twentieth century, his writings emphasize judicial restraint....
, Black made Yale Law School one of the world's leading centers for the study of constitutional law.
Black also co-authored The Law of Admiralty with Grant Gilmore
Grant Gilmore
Grant Gilmore was an American law professor who taught at Yale Law School, University of Chicago Law School, Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University, and Vermont Law School...
. He often told students that when he and Gilmore were young professors, he decided that he needed to write a "black letter law" book as an alternative to relying solely on constitutional law to make his reputation. Although he was mainly known as a constitutional legal scholar, his work with Gilmore on Admiralty became canonical, and "The Law of Admiralty" is one of the most influential law books ever written in a practical area of law. Admiralty is the law of the sea, of shipping and shipping contracts, and is a functional, practical area of international law, in which uniformity of the application of law in ports throughout the world is important, and as a result it has evolved somewhat differently from other areas of federal law. "Gilmore and Black," as it was often called, became so influential that it is one of the few treatises that federal admiralty and international courts cite almost as though it were a primary source of law. It is the most cited work of maritime law in history.
Black was an idiosyncratic teacher who was fond of telling stories in a strong Texas drawl that sometimes puzzled his students as to the relevance of the case at hand.
Black was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
in 1976. He returned to Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
in 1986, when his wife Barbara Aronstein Black
Barbara Aronstein Black
Barbara Aronstein Black is an American legal scholar. She was the first woman to head an Ivy League law school. when she became Dean of Columbia Law School in 1986. Black is George Wellwood Murray Professor of Legal History at Columbia....
became dean there. He served as adjunct professor of law until 1999. He died in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
aged 85.
A lifelong fan of jazz, he was featured in the Ken Burns
Ken Burns
Kenneth Lauren "Ken" Burns is an American director and producer of documentary films, known for his style of using archival footage and photographs...
documentary Jazz: A History of American Music
Jazz (documentary)
Jazz was a 2000 documentary miniseries, directed by Ken Burns. Jazz was the last in a trilogy by Burns, following The Civil War and Baseball...
, where he related hearing Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
perform at an Austin hotel in 1931. This experience, he said, fomented his interest in race and civil rights.
In his New York Times obituary, former student Akhil Amar commented, "He was my hero. So many of the great moral issues of the twentieth century seem clear in retrospect, but were quite controversial at the time. He had the moral courage to go against his race, his class, his social circle."