ADVANCEMENT
Changing the Narrative Duchess Harris, J.D., Ph.D. ’87 writes the untold stories of Black Americans and is making sure their voices are heard
M
iriam “Duchess” Harris, J.D., Ph.D. ’87 is
of the Future” by Ebony Magazine. She did
Duchess is a scholar of Contemporary African
an academic, author, and legal scholar
a Rockefeller postdoctoral fellowship at the
American History and Political Theory. Her
whose books on race and Black feminism
Womanist Studies Consortium at the University
academic books include, Racially Writing the Republic:
have received widespread acclaim. A die-hard
of Georgia, GA. She became the first Chair
Racists, Race Rebels, and Transformations of American
Canterbury student, Duchess was a Sacristan,
of the American Studies Department in 2003
Identity, (2009), Black Feminist Politics from Kennedy
dorm proctor, Editor for the Cantuarian and the
and was granted tenure in 2004. In 2007 she
to Trump (2018), and Black Girl Magic Beyond the
Tabard, Editor-in-Chief of the Carillon, stage
decided that attending law school would allow
Hashtag: Twenty-First Century Acts of Self-Definition
manager in the theater, President of the Debate
her to expand the scope of her scholarship even
(2019). She is also the proud curator of the
Club, and served in student government. At
further.
Duchess Harris Collection, which has 115 books
her graduation, she was presented the Philip H.
In 2008, she was the only law student in the
written for 4-12th graders.
country chosen to be an Associate Editor for
In a conversation with Macalester College,
Brodie Award for exceptional achievements and all-around service to the School.
Litigation News, the American Bar Association
Duchess mentioned that after Michael Brown
Following Canterbury, Duchess went on to
Section’s quarterly flagship publication. The
was killed in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014, she
become a Mellon Mays Fellow at the University
following year, she won a $96,000 fellowship
was struck with a realization when she returned
of Pennsylvania, PA. There, she was mentored
from the Bush Leadership Program, which
to the classroom. “I found out that none of my
by Dr. Mary Frances Berry and graduated with
encourages their recipients to create positive
students had had any experience talking about
a degree in American History. In 1990, she was
change in their communities. In 2010, she
contemporary race relations in high school,” she
elected student body president, which made
became the first Editor-in-Chief of Law Raza
said. “Students sometimes have a unit on slavery,
her the first Black woman to serve in this role
Journal, an interactive on-line race and law
but they don’t get the skill set to talk about race
at an Ivy League institution. She graduated in
journal.
relations—and it’s an important skill set to have.”
1991 with a degree in American History. Six
Duchess earned a Juris Doctorate in January
She wrote the 115 books in her collection in just
years later, she earned a Ph.D. in American
2011 and has an expertise in Civil Rights Law.
five years to remedy that.
In 2015, The Minnesota Association of Black
A keen intellect and desire to help transform the
Lawyers chose her to receive “The Profiles in
world seem to run in her genes—her maternal
Courage Award.” In 2019 she received the
grandmother, Miriam Daniel Mann, was a
Presidential Award from the Association of
mathematician at NASA and one of the “human
Black Women in Higher Education. She is
computers” responsible for solving complex
In 1998, Duchess joined the faculty at
currently a member of Governor Tim Walz’s
equations that landed the United States on the
Macalester College, MN. That same year she
Board of Public Defense.
Moon. Duchess has been a member of Mensa
Studies from the University of Minnesota, MN, where her dissertation was nominated for the Henry Gabriel Prize. While in graduate school, she worked for the late U.S. Senator Paul D. Wellstone.
was named one of “Thirty Young Leaders
since 1983 and has been the recipient of over 25 awards for her professional achievements.
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THE MAGAZINE OF CANTERBURY SCHOOL
