The Honorable A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr. Lecture was instituted in 1989 in honor of Judge Higginbotham's contributions to the American legal and scholarly communities. Typically held during the fall semester, this annual lecture brings to campus a distinguished scholar or public servant whose work focuses on an issue, event or personality in the African American community of either historical or contemporary interest in the areas of history, social justice or law. The lecture was renamed The Honorable A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr. Memorial Lecture in 1999. Former guests include Hauwa Ibrahim, Kimberle Crenshaw, Charles Ogletree, Manning Marable, Derrick Bell, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Patricia Williams and, of course, Judge Higginbotham.