Reggie Shuford

ACLU attorney, left before graduation[23]

What is Reggie Shuford known for?

Reginald "Reggie" T. Shuford, a prominent attorney and notable alumnus of New Hanover High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, has had a significant impact in the field of law and social justice. Shuford was born and raised in public housing in Wilmington, North Carolina, the third of five children. Enduring racial prejudice in his early education, he was motivated to excel. Showing remarkable resilience and determination, he earned high grades that led him to secure a scholarship to Cape Fear Academy, where he became the first black graduate in 1984.

From there, Shuford went on to pursue higher education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of North Carolina School of Law. His scholastic achievements were remarkable, culminating in earning his JD and serving as president of his law class.

Shuford’s legal career has been focused on social justice and civil rights. His first professional role was that of a clerk under Henry Frye, the first black chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, who served as Shuford's legal role model. From 1995 to 2010, Shuford served as a staff attorney for the ACLU's racial justice program. He represented challenging cases such as Green v. TSA in 2004, a case against the No Fly List. In 2011, he was appointed the executive director of the Pennsylvania ACLU and in 2023, he was named executive director of the North Carolina Justice Center, a Raleigh-based progressive policy and advocacy nonprofit.

Demonstrating his commitment to fighting injustice and promoting diversity, Shuford was presented with the Living Legal Legend Award in 2016 by Pennsylvania State University Law's Black Law Students Association and Penn State's Multicultural Undergraduate Law Association. In 2009-2010, he was a Wasserstein Fellow at Harvard Law School. His writings reflect his dedication to social justice, with works such as "Why Affirmative Action Remains Essential in the Age of Obama" focusing on important societal topics.

More about his life, work and contributions can be found here and here.