Greetings Brothers,

Brother Leroy Hassell rose from the Richmond Public Schools to become the first African American Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

While at the University of Virginia Brother Hassell was initiated into the Lambda Zeta Chapter (the second line at UVA), and scholastically earned the privilege of living on The Lawn, the prestigious central Grounds of original housing rooms for students.

Following graduation from The University, Brother Hassell successfully matriculated through the Harvard Law School, where he earned the distinction of serving on the Civil Liberties Law Review.

Upon his return to Richmond, he joined the Upsilon Nu Chapter.

After a successful corporate legal career in Richmond, Virginia, Brother Hassell was appointed by Governor Gerald Baliles to the Virginia Supreme Court. In 2003, Brother Hassell became the first African American Chief Justice of Virginia’s high court.

Beginning in 2005, Brother Hassell served as a Jurist-in-Residence at the Regent University Law School.

Prior to his death in 2011, Brother Hassell was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Virginia Bar Association.

Please make time to read and view more about our good brother by visiting the links below. The second link is a 2009 recording of a roundtable on the topic of massive resistance to school integration in the State of Virginia. Although you may find most of the panelists’ comments interesting, if your time is short, Brother Hassell appears at about the 27 minute mark.

https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/changemakers/items/show/229
https://www.c-span.org/video/?287976-2/massive-resistance-panel-2

Thank you once again for Walking the Ward with us.

Make it a great week Brothers. Be noble!

F.I.E.T.T.S.
3rd District History and Archives Committee
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The Monday Pearl is provided by the Third District History and Archives Committee and is a weekly sharing of fraternity content, commentary, and research of historical value we hope Brothers will enjoy and from which Brothers will draw inspiration. Previous “Pearls” can be found at http://3rddistrictques.org/about-us/overview/monday-pearl/. The Committee encourages your feedback. Should you have reactions, comments, information, anecdotes, documents, and the like, related to any of the content we share, we’d very much like to hear from you. Please send all communication to 3dhistoryandarchives@gmail.com.