Before becoming the first African-American tenured Professor of Law at both the UCLA School of Law and the Seattle University School of Law, Henry “Hank” McGee was an attorney who came to the aid of civil rights heroes during the “Freedom Summer” of 1965.
The King County Council honored McGee for his efforts and for dedicating his life to racial and economic justice.
“Hank McGee has an astounding history of five decades of being on the frontlines of civil and human rights in this country,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett, the sponsor of the recognition. “However, even though Hank is retiring, he is not retiring from being active in the struggle.”
Professor McGee defended members of the Student Nonviolence Coordinating Committee (SNCC) who were arrested in Mississippi during the Freedom Summer for their efforts to help register African-American voters.
McGee was at UCLA for 25 years, teaching law courses as well as directing the university’s Center for Afro-American Studies. He left UCLA for the campus of Seattle University, where he has taught for the last two decades.
McGee’s dedication to racial and economic justice has extended beyond teaching, as he has mentored two generations of African-American law students. He has been an advocate and influential scholar who has worked to expose inequities in housing, particularly the displacement of African Americans. He has highlighted issues of gentrification, land use, environmental impact, and community development, particularly in studies of Seattle, Portland, and Los Angeles.
Professor McGee’s advocacy for communities of color has made him a global citizen. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Madrid, as well as stints as a visiting scholar and teacher at more than 30 universities in Europe, Latin America, and Africa.
After more than 50 years of service to the African-American community and the world, Henry McGee is getting ready for retirement, but he will continue to be a valuable resource in the community on issues of race and economic justice.
