"I had all the issues coming with being the first," he said. "Today's class faces perhaps even more questioning of their right to be here, and they have to face the instability of the outside world. The issues are different. The message of the conference is that it is important that these graduates go out and succeed, that they be as excellent as possible."

According to Reginald K. Brown, who graduated in 1981, one of the most memorable moments of the three-day event was the group photograph, taken on the steps of Langdell Library.

Seeing so many successful black lawyers together made it impossible to single out any one individual as the big star, he said.

"It was absolutely extraordinary," he said.

They event's keynote address was delivered by Kenneth I. Chenault, who graduated from the Law School in 1976 and is now the CEO designate of American Express.

He later received the HLS Association Award, which is given to recognize service to the legal profession, to society or to HLS.

The Law School presented its Medal of Freedom to the litigation team responsible for arguing the side of integration in the landmark 1954 decision Brown v. Board of Education.