Professor Delivers Founders’ Lecture at Ollie May Cooper Awards

Professor Angela Davis with AUWCL alumni (L-R): 
Shannon Schoultz '15, Preston Smith '13, Professor Davis, Erica McKinney '15 and Amber Bennett '15


Last week, American University Washington College of Law Professor Angela Davis delivered the 35th Founders’ Lecture during the Washington Bar Association’s 37th Annual Ollie May Cooper Award ceremony at Howard University School of Law. 

The Ollie May Cooper award – named after one of the first African-American women to start her own law practice – is an annual recognition of outstanding service, leadership, and efforts made by the members of Washington Bar Association to enhance the image of the legal community at large.

After the award presentation to the Honorable Eric T. Washington, Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, Professor Davis discussed the crisis of mass incarceration, prosecutors’ role in contributing to the problem, and their ethical duty to take affirmative steps to end it.

The lecture was well-received by the audience, including judges from the local and federal courts in the District of Columbia, members of the D.C. bar, law students, and alumni of American University Washington College of Law