Caribbean American Becomes the New Editor of the Harvard Law Review

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Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas

 

Meet Michael Thomas – One of Only Four African-Americans to Hold the Position

Say hello to Michael Thomas the new editor of the Harvard Law Review, Vol. 132.  Mr. Thomas is one of only four African Americans to hold the prestigious position  You may have heard of the first African American Harvard Law Review president. …Barack Obama!  Obama became the first black Harvard Law Review President in 1990.

At 27 and hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Michael is actually straight out of Vincy (that’s St. Vincent for all my non-Caribbeans), Michael was born in St. Vincent & the Grenadines 🇻🇨 to Francelia Bute-Thomas and Michael Thomas Sr, (proud grandparents Eardley  and Yvonne Bute of Lowmans Hill, SVG). Michael Jr migrated to the United States as a child and is the eldest of three children. And following the footsteps of another Obama, Michelle, prior to attending Harvard, Michael graduated from Princeton University.  Michael graduated Princeton along with one of his female cousins.(Michael hails from a long lineage of intelligent and studious people!)

ImeIme Umana (131st Editor) Passing the Baton to Michael Thomas
ImeIme Umana first black woman to hold the post passes the baton to Michael Thomas.

 

Michael takes over from ImeIme Umana, who last year became the first African-American woman to hold the highly coveted position. 

David Panton, second black man to helm the Harvard Law Review
David Panton, first Caribbean and second black man to helm the Harvard Law Review

 

Although Mr. Thomas is the third black man to take helm the at the Harvard Law Review, he is not the first Caribbean. David Panton was the the first Caribbean to hold the post.  Panton hails from Jamaica and currently resides in Atlanta GA and owns a private equity firm, Panton Equity Partners..  Indeed, the Caribbean is known to produce elite athletes, musicians and scholars alike!

In an interview with “The Root” Thomas explained that the Law Review is an entirely student-run journal that publishes legal scholarship from the foremost scholars in the profession, noting that it’s not uncommon for judges—even at the Supreme Court—to cite articles that appear in its pages. Given its outsize impact, diversity is vital.

“[The] conversations that go on within and outside our pages have an effect on the law,” Thomas told The Root . “It’s important that those conversations reflect the full range of experience of the people who interact with the law and, that is to say, all of us.”

Mr. Thomas has already authored his first article.  The piece dives into the issues surrounding legalization of marijuana and its economic fallout on low income communities.  I would venture to say that this discussion would also be very interesting vis-a-vis the Caribbean Diaspora. 

Please congratulate Michael and read his first article here,

RCS SIDEBAR:  Mr. Thomas is the cousin of a close friend of mine and I want to personally to say congratulations to the ENTIRE family and “job well done” to his mom!  Biggup the Vincy massive!

 

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