1977 – First Black President of the American Bar Association Elected

On June 3, 1977, Dennis Archer was elected president-elect of the American Bar Association (ABA), marking the first time an African American would lead the influential organization. Archer’s election represented a major step forward in the legal profession, which had long been dominated by white elites. A former Michigan Supreme Court Justice and later the mayor of Detroit, Archer used his ABA leadership to champion legal access for marginalized communities and to diversify the ranks of law firms and judgeships across the country. His tenure helped reshape the narrative around Black leadership in American jurisprudence. June 3 celebrates not just Archer’s victory, but the broader advancement of African Americans into leadership positions within institutions that shape the law, public policy, and civil rights nationwide.