By Sean Yoes,
Special to the AFRO
During the course of a half-century of instruction at the University of Maryland’s School of Law, Larry Gibson’s influence upon the school’s Black students may be unparalleled. This week, the AFRO will begin a two-part series honoring Gibson, who truly shaped the generations with his dedication and hard work.
Last September hundreds of Black lawyers–all products of the University of Maryland’s prestigious Francis King Carey School of Law– gathered for the fifth Black Law Alumni Reunion. The members of the school’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA), moved through the first floor greeting each other with handshakes, broad grins and hugs. Others sat in the atrium or took to connecting and reconnecting as they dined on the scrumptious cuisine of Class Act Catering, prepared by the masterful Jimmy Britton.
Suddenly, Larry S. Gibson, professor of law at University of Maryland, marched through the courtyard banging on a saucepan pilfered from the caterer. It was Gibson’s playful and raucous way of letting the BLSA members know it was time to move on to the evening’s other activities.
Gibson, who taught the majority of men and women assembled, has been an advisor to BLSA (established in 1968), since his arrival at the school in 1974. He says this will be the last alumni weekend that he organizes. After 50 years as a law professor at UM his complete body of work at the school has arguably been historic. Specifically, his presence in the lives and careers of the Black students has been ubiquitous whether they have been in his classroom or not.
Kay Harding, associate judge with the District Court of Maryland in Baltimore City since 2022, weighed in on Gibson’s ability to connect with students– even if they weren’t on his official class roster.
“My first semester was awful. I did not know if I would be able to make it through. I had never seen the grades I got the first year. I was on the honor roll the dean’s list in undergrad,” Harding reflected. “Law school was hard.”
“I believe might have been the only Black professor. If he wasn’t the only Black professor he was someone that you could go and talk to and feel comfortable. So, I made an appointment to see him– always had an open door policy.
Harding recalls showing Gibson the terrible grades and seeking advice.
“He gave me the strategy. He told me what classes to take and it changed my life,” Harding said. “After that, I started getting better grades and I am so forever grateful for him. Had I not had the courage to talk to him and be vulnerable, I promise you I would not be where I am today.”
Harding’s powerful testimony is a recurring theme when you talk to other UM law school alums.
“I wasn’t part of BLSA when I was in law school. And I never took one of Gibson’s courses but he knew about me. He knew what I was doing…and I never told him, but he kept tabs,” said Michael Studdard, associate Judge District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City since 2016. “That’s who he is. He knows all the students–and if you never reach out to him he still knows what’s going on in your life.”
“That’s the best thing about him,” added Studdard, who graduated from UM law in 1994. “You don’t know what he’s doing behind the scenes because he doesn’t want the credit, he doesn’t want anything. He just wants you to succeed. And that’s why I’m forever grateful.”
Beverly Carter, a retired Maryland attorney and UM law alum, sits on the boards of various civil, philanthropic and professional organizations. She has known Gibson since the two were undergraduates at Howard University in the 1960’s.
“He’s always been helpful in counseling people on the best things to do and the best way to market yourself to be acceptable and be accepted into the university,” Carter said. “He starts out even before you get here and he’s everybody’s friend, he’s everybody’s mentor by the time get here,” she added.
Gibson’s ability to embrace scores of law students over the decades was greatly enhanced by the dedication of his beloved, late wife Diana, who helped support the students her husband taught and mentored. Diana Gibson died in 2023, after the couple celebrated 50 years of marriage.
“We had a 50-year love affair,” said Gibson, in the days following his wife’s transition in March 2023. For 50 years the Gibsons provided a loving sanctuary and support for his law students.
“He knows all of these people,” said Carter, gazing around the atrium at the reunion as Gibson greeted people by name.“He would have you to the house, he would always make sure you were okay. Diana always made sure that the BLSA students always had the little extra something. If they needed a book, if they needed a way home– it was really like having a family here.”
In addition to his devotion to his law students, Gibson is a proud and highly respected member of Baltimore’s fraternity of Black lawyers. It’s a legendary phalanx that includes the city’s first elected Black mayor, Kurt Schmoke.
“He has had a huge impact on both the legal profession in the state and the state of Maryland in general,” said Schmoke, of Gibson.
Schmoke told the AFRO it was Gibson who orchestrated the former mayor’s historic campaign to lead Baltimore City, as well as his election victory as Baltimore City State’s Attorney.
“Black, White Asian– regardless of race–a huge number of the judges in this state have been students of Larry Gibson,” said Schmoke, who serves as the current president of the University of Baltimore.
“He’s been an inspiration to African-American lawyers for decades. Not only in his teaching, but in his scholarship– especially research and writing regarding Justice Thurgood Marshall,” Schmoke added.
“It really is not an exaggeration to say that he’s been involved in changing the political landscape in this state…He helped organize some of the first elections of [Black] judges in the state and he’s been recognized nationally as an advisor to presidential campaigns. In addition to being a smart lawyer, he’s a savvy politician and political advisor.”
Perhaps, the most formidable Baltimore attorney over the last few decades is William “Billy” Murphy Jr., of the 1968 UM law class. Murphy is founder of the BLSA chapter at UM and another longtime friend of Gibson.
“Billy Murphy is probably the most well-known lawyer in Baltimore. As I travel around the country, if people know of one Baltimore lawyer they know of Billy Murphy,” Gibson said of his old friend.
Murphy said his recollection of how the two met included the Joe Howard campaign.
“We may have met a little earlier than that. But, that’s when I think we really started having a relationship because we ran the Joe Howard campaign together. Joe got elected as the first Black judge to be the sitting Circuit Court judge and went on to a spectacular career,” said Murphy.
“I had gotten a job over in Washington, D.C. for the summer in law school, working for Al Figinski,” Murphy told the AFRO. “Joe Tydings was the committee chairman of that judiciary subcommittee. Al was the guy who made things happen. One day I get a visit from a group of Black leaders in Baltimore. And they’re saying, ‘look you’ve got to quit your job and work in this campaign. This campaign is real important,’” remembered Murphy. “I was in shock, because I had already planned out my summer. Well, I did it and that’s how Larry and I got to know each other. Larry is a tremendous organizer and he knew how to touch everybody– and keep them.”
Over the decades Gibson and Murphy have often joined forces in political and legal arenas, and occasionally they were opponents. But, their friendship has endured, rooted in deep mutual admiration.
“How many people has Larry touched: several thousand. I’m talking about having a tremendous core influence. He’s amazing, there’s only one Larry Gibson. They don’t make em’ like that anymore,” Murphy said.
“As I look back on Larry’s career, I am so proud of Larry. How can you not be?”
“That’s the remarkable thing about Larry Gibson– everything that he has done is to advance the Black community–everything,” continued Murphy. “He radiates it. You can’t be in a room with him and not understand that’s where his heart is: us. We are his heart.”
