Below is a letter signed by 322 members of the faculty and staff of Harvard Law School.
January 5, 2015
An Open Letter to the Harvard Law School Community,
We, as faculty and staff of Harvard Law School, have been profoundly affected by the recent grand jury decisions in Ferguson and Staten Island, and the wave of protests that have followed. We know from our daily work the many ways that the legal system can be used to create positive change. We also know that the legal system does not protect and bind us all equally and in important ways needs to be fixed.
Recognizing the long history of discrimination and violence against black people and other people of color and acknowledging the racial injustices within our legal system are necessary first steps to changing that system. The killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner have brought these issues into stark relief once again. We have been particularly inspired by students on campus, in Boston, and throughout the country who are pushing for change. We believe students should not be raising their voices alone.
We commit to supporting our students. We will always have an open door and a willing ear. We also commit to working together with students and other members of the faculty and staff to find common ground to better address systemic institutional racism that exists in this country.
This is an extraordinary moment in American history. To all those involved in efforts to push for change, we will engage, individually and collectively, in the fight against injustice, particularly racial injustice.
Sonia Acosta Deborah Goldfarb Gyodi L. R. Olech
Devin Advani Lee Goldstein Natasha Onken
William Alford Annette Gordon-Reed William Ortman
Rashid Alvi Mark Gould Ernest Owens
Ronnie Andrews Brandie Grant Andrea Moon Park
Deborah Anker Robert Greenwald Catherine Pattanayak
Marina S. Apostol Paul Gregoire Michelle Pearse
Sabi Ardalan Michael Gregory Yennifer Pedraza
Susana Arteta James Greiner Joei Marshall Perry
Amar Ashar David Grossman Catherine Peshkin
Carrie Ayers Lani Guinier Marcia C. Peters
Ona Balkus Betsy Gwin M.A. Peterson
Elizabeth Bartholet Susan Hackley Anna Pierce
Christopher Bavitz Janet Halley Chris Pierce
Maggie Bay Daniel Halperin Nancy Pinn
Alison Bell Polly Hamlen Rory Placa
Monica Bell Jon Hanson Deborah Popowski
Noa Ben-Asher Delia Harrington Thompson Potter Jr.
Roger Bertling David Harris Remy Prevost
Jane Bestor Gail M. Harris Brian Price
Yuliya Bir Bruce Hay Robert Proctor
Elizabeth Blake Jennifer Heath Sheena Prosper
Tracy Blanchard Mallory Heath Intisar Rabb
Gabriella Blum Joseph A. Hedal Todd Rakoff
Whitney Erin Boesel Kira Hessekiel Steven Ramos
Margie Boone Philip Heymann Janie Rangel
Thomas Boone Mariko Hobshuku Ceallaigh Reddy
Robert C. Bordone Elizabeth Hopkins Desta Reff
Juliet Bowler Alexander Horn Ana Carolina V. Riella
Cheryl Bratt Carol Igoe Nicholas Robinson
Scott Brewer Wendy B. Jacobs Mindy Jane Roseman
Erin Britt Brett Johnson Amy Rosenberg
Tomiko Brown-Nagin Emma Johnson Keith Rosenthal
Kerri Brummel Ian E. Johnson Patricio S. Rossi
Dolores Bullock Ian Johnson Joan Ruttenberg
Liala Buoniconti Charles B. Johnson IV Benjamin Sachs
Chloe V. Bush Andrew Kaufman Teresa Saint-Amour
Jacqueline A. Calahong Jane Kelly John Salsberg
Marni Goldstein Caputo Nancy Kelly Naomi Schaffer
Esme Caramello Duncan Kennedy Michelle Schultz
Rafael Casiano Randall Kennedy Ann Scibelli
Jennifer M. Chacón Melinda Kent Andrew Sellars
Stephen Chapman Brandon Kimm Alexa Shabecoff
Susan Chin John J. Kleinv Yih-hsien Shen
Lakshmi Clark Mark Kleinschnittger Judi Silverman
Alicia Clemente Kate Konschnik Joseph William Singer
John Coates Amanda L. Kool Shona Simkin
Glenn Cohen Melissa Courage Korta Chanda Smart
Rebecca Richman Cohen Meg Kribble Melissa Smith
Susan F. Cole Vivek Krishnamurthy Yvonne Smith
Russell Coleman Kenneth Lafler Liz Solar
Allison Condra Adriaan Lanniv Cara Solomon
Bradford Conner Eve Lauria Amy Soto
Maureen Corrigan Eloise Lawrence Ina Spaho
Ellen Cosgrove Richard Lazarus Holger Spamann
Doralean Cox Aubrey Leas Carol Steiker
John Cratsley Emily Broad Leib Carolyn Stafford Stein
Chandra M. Craven Miriam Leigh Michael A. Stein
Desne Crossley Maria Leister Henry Steiner
Anna Crowe Lawrence Lessig Matthew Stephenson
Lucy Cummings Benjamin Levin William Stevens
Anthony Curcio Jr. Nathaniel Levy Kristen Stilt
Tracey-Ann Daley Laura Ligon Margo Strucker
Stephanie E. Davidson Isabel Lima Jeannie Suk
Daniel Deacon Jacob Lipton Ronald Sullivan Jr.
Lisa Dealy Leah Litman Patricia Sutton
Sara del Nido Kenneth Mack Rebecca Tabasky
Joshua Delaney Bruce Mann Jeanne Tai
Fernando Delgado Jose Marroquin Katherine Talbot
Claire DeMarco Sandra Mays Phoebe Tamminen
Christine Desan Jason McCann Anne-Marie Taylor
Julia Devanthéry Julie McCormack Biao Teng
Sheryl Dickey Maureen E. McDonagh Ethan Thomas
Bonnie Docherty Maggie McKinley Karen Thomas
Charles Donahue Jr. Jennifer McKinnon Nancy Thompson
Stephany Doulames Nefyn Meissner Susannah Barton Tobin
Sarah Downer Brione Merchant Robert Toomer
Lindsay Dumas Lee Mestre Eleanor Topping
Susan Eaton Frank Michelman Philip L. Torrey
Anne Eisner Melissa Minaya Laurence Tribe
Linda Ellersick Robert Mnookin Steven Trothen
Elizabeth F. Emens Naz K. Modirzadeh Mark Tushnet
Daniel Epps Lia Monahon Dehlia Umunna
Molly Eskridge Wendy M. Moore Rachel A. Viscomi
Kathleen Eutsler William Moore Jr. Stephen T. Wagner
Melanie Evans Maggie Morgan Johanna Wald
Christine Fahey Elizabeth Moroney Heather Wallick
Daniel Farbman Kathleen Morrison Caroline Walters
Susan Farbstein Laura Morrison-Westphal Matthew Wansley
Tomaso Ferrando Sarah Morton Ben Watson
Edgar Filho Samuel Moyn Thera Webb
Cassandra Filios Kristin Muniz Lynn Weissberg
Joseph Fishman Elizabeth H. Munnell Lucie White
Gabriela Follett Judy Murciano Alex Whiting
Stephen Foote Jon Murley Patricia Whiting
Katie Fortunato Jaimie Murray David Wilkins
Charles Fried Daniel Nagin Heather Williams
Gerald Frug Sarah E. Neely John Willshire Carrera
Maggie Gardner Micah Nemiroff Suzanne Wones
Kathryn Garfield Elizabeth Nessen Mark Wu
Kelly Garvin Charles Nesson Mike Zaisser
Paula Garvin Bettina Neuefeind Benjamin Zawacki
Urs Gasser Gerald Neuman Nongji Zhang
Jacob Gersen Emily Newburger Jonathan Zittrain
Nancy Gertner S. Darrick Northington Sara Zucker
Tyler Giannini Kathleen M. O’Connell
Erica Goldberg Louise O’Connell
Stephanie Goldenhersh Charles Ogletree Jr.