WASHINGTON, D.C. — Howard University School of Law is making certain that its distinguished alumnus, long-standing federal judge Damon J. Keith’s legacy will live on in years to come by offering a scholarship and renaming its renovated Moot Court Room in his honor. The scholarship will be presented at the 33^rd Annual Damon J. Keith Soul Food Luncheon beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 14 on the Howard Law School campus, located at 2900 Van Ness St. NW.

Beginning in the 2020-21 academic year, Howard Law’s Office of the Dean will award annual scholarships from The Honorable Damon J. Keith Endowed Scholarship Fund to a student who is in good standing, demonstrates financial need and has a passion for social justice and serving the community. Preference will be given to students from Keith’s hometown of Detroit, Michigan and students who are first-generation college or graduate students. Scholarship funds may be used to cover the cost of tuition, matriculation fees, housing, meals, books or any combination thereof.

“Our father, Judge Damon J. Keith, felt that this institution was important and critical in his fight for social justice,” said Keith’s daughter, Cecile Keith Brown. “His passion for civil rights was inspired by the mentorship of Charles Hamilton Houston, Thurgood Marshall and others with the commitment to force this country to live up to its credo ‘equal justice under law’. Dad’s scholarship fund will…honor his hometown and his law school, two things very important to him.”

In honor of Keith’s legacy, Howard Law’s Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center has partnered with several of Keith’s former law clerks to host Soul Food Luncheon, a 32-year tradition that Keith held at his Detroit chambers. The event is free and open to the public.

Additionally, the law school will rename its Moot Court Room after Judge Keith so that the Howard Law community will always remember him. In the 150 years of the law school’s existence, this is the first time the moot court room has ever been named after an individual alumnus or alumna. Keith, who earned a J.D. from Howard Law in 1949 and died April 28, 2019 at the age of 96, was more than deserving of this honor.

“The law school is honored to pay tribute to Judge Damon Keith through the new scholarship, annual luncheon, and moot court room naming,” said Howard University School of Law Dean Danielle Holley-Walker. “We look forward to generations of Howard Law students celebrating Judge Keith’s powerful legacy.”

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 70 Fulbright Scholars. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media Contact: Misha Cornelius, misha.cornelius@howard.edu