Historic Black law school in Washington, D.C. (1931–1950) that educated majority of Black lawyers in the city.
Robert H. Terrell Law School was established in 1931 after Howard University ended its evening law school program. Founded by six prominent lawyers and educators, the school was named in honor of Robert Heberton Terrell, a longtime African-American judge of the District of Columbia Municipal Court who died in 1925. The school attracted faculty from the recently closed John M. Langston School of Law at Frelinghuysen University, including founder George A. Parker who had previously served as dean there.
During its 19 years of operation, Terrell Law School offered evening classes and educated the majority of Black law students in Washington, D.C. The school graduated approximately 600 lawyers before closing in 1950 as other law schools became integrated. Its alumni went on to prominent careers in law, civil rights, journalism, and public service.
The school produced several distinguished graduates, including Austin L. Fickling (first Black judge of the D.C. Court of Appeals), Willie Stevenson Glanton (first Black woman elected to the Iowa House of Representatives), civil rights leader Ruby Hurley, and Wilhelmina Rolark (D.C. Council member). Faculty included civil rights attorney Belford Lawson Jr. and Barrington D. Parker, who became a United States district judge.