Emory University School of Law has selected civil rights scholar Darren Hutchinson to be the inaugural John Lewis Chair for Civil Rights and Social Justice. In this role, Hutchinson will honor the former congressman by creating a center for research and teaching in the civil rights and justice space.
“This is a very momentous occasion,” Hutchinson told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"And as a lawyer, that was a huge, incredible story of civil rights unfolding right in front of us. This is the biggest opportunity I have ever had in my life to do civil rights work.”
Hutchinson currently serves as the Raymond & Miriam Ehrlich Eminent Scholar Chair at the University of Florida. He got his start in law and civil rights as an undergraduate student at the University of Pennsylvania. He then went on to graduate from Yale Law School. Since then, he has worked at American University, Southern Methodist University and the University of Pennsylvania.
“I launched my academic career publishing a series of articles that examine the implications of intersecting racism and heterosexism for social justice policy,” he explained.
“In order to understand the magnitude of harms racism causes, we must also examine sources of subordination that are intertwined with race, such as class, sexual and gender identity, and gender.”
With this new role, Hutchinson hopes that he can not only honor the legacy of John Lewis, but he also hopes to contribute to the city of Atlanta. In a city with a significant impact on the Black community, he believes he can combat attacks on civil rights through research, advocacy and much more.
“Atlanta is one of the most important Black cities in the world,” Hutchinson said.
“But we are at a time where a lot of the young people are very angry and frustrated by the lack of progress in civil rights. What I hope is that I can put some of that energy that people express for civil rights and social justice to good use.”
Hutchinson will have an opportunity to get a head start on his work as the 2020-2021 academic year ends and 2021-2022 academic year begins.
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