And justice for all.

A free negro of the African race, whose ancestors were brought to this country and sold as slaves, is not a 'citizen' within the meaning of the Constitution of the United States.

This assertion, made by the United States Supreme Court during Dred Scott, Plaintiff in Error v. John F.A. Sanford, pretty much sums up what protections the law afforded black people in 1856--to be specific, none. In rendering the infamous Dred Scott decision. Chief Justice Roger Taney stated clearly that blacks "had no rights to which the white man was bound to respect."

When you stop to think that this decision was rendered less than 150 years ago, it is nothing short of miraculous that there are now more than 20,000 black attorneys. And neither Scott nor Taney could have foreseen that African Americans, such as my good friend, New York State Supreme Court Justice Lewis L. Douglass, would not only excel as practitioners of law, but distinguish themselves as judges at every level of our legal system, including the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Douglass, a one-time executive of my company, grew up with me in my old Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. His son, David, and his daughter, Lori, are also accomplished attorneys.

Today's legal professionals, including the outstanding lawyers featured in this landmark issue of BLACK ENTERPRISE, stand on the broad shoulders of black attorneys who fought for justice within a legal system designed to frustrate and defeat them. Without the courage and conviction of brilliant lawyers such as Thurgood Marshall, A. Leon Higginbotham, Constance Baker Motley and Charles Hamilton Houston, there could be no Nina Shaw, Ted Wells, Johnnie Cochran, or Willie Gary. These legal legends fought against injustice even though the unjust had the law--including the police, the judge and the jury--on its side. They demonstrated that the law does not rule over justice, but must serve it.

As demonstrated most recently by the University of Michigan case, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year, our fight for justice is far from over. The truth is, our nation has a long way to go before African Americans can trust that the content of our character will be judged fairly, without the distortions of racial prejudice and the persistent, negative stereotyping of black men in particular. African Americans are still too often victimized by the American legal system. This is why we are so passionate in our pursuit of justice, not just for African Americans, but for all. That passion continues to inspire African Americans to enter the legal profession and drives them to excel.

The vast majority of African Americans live on the right side of the law. However, the presumption of innocence and other rights the American legal system is now "bound to respect" are still too frequently withheld from us, whether inside or outside of the courtroom. Until this changes, we must continue to battle injustice where ever we find it. The best and the brightest African Americans in the legal profession will continue to be an invaluable asset to our cause.