INBRIEF
John T. Baker 1940 to 2008 John Thomas Baker, Esq., passed away in his Bloomington, In., home Sept. 3, 2008, at the age of 68. The 13th dean and president of Albany Law School from 1991 to 1993, the first and only African American in the position, and the first black law professor on faculty at Yale University, Dean Baker’s legacy reflects his vision for legal education and social justice. As Albany Law’s Dean, he led a successful ABA accreditation inspection, expanded the Albany Law School Clinic & Justice Center—establishing the domestic violence and AIDS clinics—oversaw the completion of a $14 million facilities renovation, and championed issues of diversity. After stepping down as Dean, he taught until 2003. Dean Baker’s vision sometimes led him into controversial territory which he always faced head-on. He publicly endorsed Clarence Thomas, a former student of his at Yale, for the Supreme Court, reading a detailed statement of several pages at a press conference. In this statement, he denounced the NAACP, presented his opinion on Anita Hill’s testimony, and described the situation as “sad.” Internally, he inherited a school budget that demanded 2
tough decisions. At the same time he sought funding for the School’s first faculty chair. As a faculty member, he worked closely with BALSA, set up a pro bono program in conjunction with the local branch of the NAACP, and taught a course on the death penalty because he felt strongly that it needed to be offered. While dean of Howard University School of Law, he fought a decision to award degrees to several students whom he believed did substandard work. Dean Baker earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Fisk University. Studying to be a doctor, he switched to law after participating in the Civil Rights movement. He graduated magna cum laude in 1965 with an L.L.B. degree from Howard University Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Law Journal and president of the moot court team. After serving as clerk to the Hon. Harold
R. Tyler Jr., U.S. District Court of the Second District of New York, he joined Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam and Roberts, New York. He then served as president and general counsel of the New York Urban Coalition Venture Capital Corporation, served on the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund executive committee, and served on the board of directors for the Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood. Dean Baker was an associate professor at Yale Law from ’73–’78; a visiting professor at New York University from ’81 to ’82; a professor at Indiana University Law School from ’82 to ’91; and dean of Howard from ’85 to ’86. His primary teaching, research, and areas of authorship were corporations, non-profit corporations and civil rights. Born in Louisville, Ky., in 1940, Baker was the oldest of three children. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor Jones Baker; daughter, Sonya Baker and her husband, Michael Fazio; son, Ivan Baker; brother Houston Baker, Jr. and his wife, Charlotte; brother, William Baker and his wife, Pat; and granddaughter, Mia Baker.