Perry Wallace
Encyclopedia
Perry Wallace is a professor of law at Washington College of Law
. He was the first African American varsity athlete in the Southeastern Conference
, playing basketball for Vanderbilt University
.
Nashville public schools. He was a straight-A student, valedictorian of his class and was named a high school All-American athlete.
Wallace was recruited by many colleges, and enrolled at Vanderbilt in 1966. In 1967, he became the first black athlete to play in the Southeastern Conference. Wallace was welcomed by his teammates, but traveling with the team was difficult, and Wallace was often threatened from opposing teams with verbal taunts and roughness on the court. He graduated with a degree in engineering in 1970, and was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers
. In the following season, basketball teams from Alabama, Kentucky, Florida and Georgia contained black athletes.
He earned his law degree from Columbia University
in 1975.
, where he dealt with natural resources and environmental law. In 1992 he was appointed to the Environmental Policy advisory council of the EPA
. He became a professor of law at The American University
Washington College of Law
in 1993, where he specializes in environmental law
, corporate law
and finance
.
Washington College of Law
American University Washington College of Law is the law school of American University. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue in the Spring Valley neighborhood of northwest Washington. WCL is ranked 50th among law schools by US News and World Report...
. He was the first African American varsity athlete in the Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
, playing basketball for Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
.
Education
Wallace attended Pearl High School in the then segregatedRacial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
Nashville public schools. He was a straight-A student, valedictorian of his class and was named a high school All-American athlete.
Wallace was recruited by many colleges, and enrolled at Vanderbilt in 1966. In 1967, he became the first black athlete to play in the Southeastern Conference. Wallace was welcomed by his teammates, but traveling with the team was difficult, and Wallace was often threatened from opposing teams with verbal taunts and roughness on the court. He graduated with a degree in engineering in 1970, and was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. In the following season, basketball teams from Alabama, Kentucky, Florida and Georgia contained black athletes.
He earned his law degree from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1975.
Career
Wallace was a trial attorney at the United States Department of JusticeUnited States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
, where he dealt with natural resources and environmental law. In 1992 he was appointed to the Environmental Policy advisory council of the EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
. He became a professor of law at The American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
Washington College of Law
Washington College of Law
American University Washington College of Law is the law school of American University. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue in the Spring Valley neighborhood of northwest Washington. WCL is ranked 50th among law schools by US News and World Report...
in 1993, where he specializes in environmental law
Environmental law
Environmental law is a complex and interlocking body of treaties, conventions, statutes, regulations, and common law that operates to regulate the interaction of humanity and the natural environment, toward the purpose of reducing the impacts of human activity...
, corporate law
Corporate law
Corporate law is the study of how shareholders, directors, employees, creditors, and other stakeholders such as consumers, the community and the environment interact with one another. Corporate law is a part of a broader companies law...
and finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
.
Honors
- 2003 - Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame
- 2004 - Retirement of his Vanderbilt jersey, number 25