Margaret Burnham

Margaret Burnham “is an Associate Professor at Northeastern University Law. She earned her BA at Tougaloo College and her LLB at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Civil rights activities during the civil rights movement in the South motivated Professor Burnham to pursue a career in law. Since then, she has enjoyed a decorated and colorful legal career. When asked to name one highlight, Professor Burnham mentioned directing the National Conference of Black lawyers, an association of lawyers, scholars, judges, legal workers, law students and legal activists, as one notable achievement. At this event, she especially enjoyed getting to know the practice interests of lawyers across the country.

“Professor Burnham is an active member of many organizations. To name just a few, she is the chair of the National Center of Afro-American Artists, an organization dedicated to the celebration, exhibition, collection and criticism of black visual arts heritage from around the world. She is also a member of the Algebra Project which is dedicated to assisting underprivileged students to achieve literacy in mathematics, the South African Partners, a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of long-term partnership opportunities between the United States and South Africa, and the Global Policy Forum, a policy making at the United Nations.

“As a law student at the University of Pennsylvania, Professor Burnham was a member of her school’s chapter. Since that time, she has served as the forum director of the National Conference of Black Lawyers, of which she is currently a member.”

“Professor Burnham began her career at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, litigating school desegregation cases. In 1978, she was appointed an associate justice of the Boston Municipal Court, and in 1989 returned to law practice as a founding partner of Boston¹s first law firm headed by African-American women.

“She has held fellowships at Harvard's DuBois Institute and Radcliffe's Bunting Institute. In 1992, former South African president Nelson Mandela asked Professor Burnham to serve on an international commission that investigated human rights violations committed by the African National Congress. That commission was a precursor to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission established after the 1994 election in South Africa.”