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TEXAS SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE VISITS UH-DOWNTOWN

(Houston, Texas)   Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, the first African American to hold the position, spoke at the Dr. J. Don Boney Scholarship Luncheon in celebration of Black History Month.

Dr. J. Don Boney was the first African American Chancellor (now called president) for UH-Downtown. He served from 1975-79.   Book scholarships are awarded to UH-Downtown students in the name of former chancellor.

Jefferson spoke about two cases he argued before the United States Supreme Court before he turned 40. On one occasion, he recalled:

"I argued that case in the morning and in the evening decided to go to the Lincoln Memorial," he said during his February visit to UHD. "And I'm thinking to myself as I'm going up these stairs, 'I don't know if he ever would have imagined that one day, an African-American lawyer who is a descendent of slaves, would appear before the United States Supreme Court."

The University of Texas School of Law honored Chief Justice Jefferson with its Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2005. He was President of the San Antonio Bar Association in 1998.

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-DOWNTOWN
UH-Downtown is a public university of nearly 12,000 students, offering a wide variety of bachelor’s degrees, as well as master’s programs in criminal justice, professional writing, security management and teaching. One of four distinct universities in the UH System, Houston’s Downtown University is nationally recognized for its student diversity, wireless campus, outstanding academic opportunities and productive community partnerships. At UHD, the emphasis is on excellence in teaching and student success.

Please use UH-Downtown, UHD or University of Houston-Downtown when referring to our university.