Henry J. Richardson III: A Critical Race Man

Abstract

This article, part of the festschrift celebrating Henry J. Richardson III, honors both the scholarship and mentorship of Professor Richardson. The article first describes how my personal relationship with Professor Richardson extends to a young age, when my family spent time with Professor Richardson’s parents, Henry Jr. and Roselyn, both active in civil rights organizations. Professor Richardson’s career built on his parents accomplishments, influenced by the civil rights struggle and the Black Power movement, becoming a race man and a law professor who examines race concerns not only at the national but also transnational level. The article then uses the narrative technique from Critical Race Theory (“CRT”) to explore Professor Richardson’s contributions as a scholar of international law and CRT, but just as importantly as a mentor, through a conversation between Professor Mzee (“elder” or “wise one” in Swahili) and student Uhura Crenshaw.

Keywords: race, racism, international law, human rights, Henry Richardson