Dennis Archer takes seat as president of the American Bar Association

Former Detroit mayor and past Michigan Supreme Court justice Dennis Archer recently took his seat as the first African-American president of the American Bar Association (ABA) during the organization's annual meeting held in San Francisco.

"I think the American Bar Association is demonstrating for all to see a real commitment and respect for diversity, given its historical background," said Archer, 61, who replaced Alfred P. Carlton Jr.

Archer served five years as a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and two terms as mayor.

The Cassopolis, MI, native earned A Bachelor of Science Degree in education From Western Michigan University, and then taught learning disabled children in the Detroit public schools system while he earned his law degree from Detroit College of Law.

Archer later worked as a trial lawyer and partner for several Detroit law firms and served as an associate professor of the Detroit College of Law and adjunct professor at Wayne State University Law School.

As president of the 400,000-plus member American Bar Association which was founded more than 125 years ago, Archer will work with leaders from all over the world to promote advancement of the ABA. Archer is also reported to have several events planned marking the 50th anniversary next year of the 1954 desegregation ruling of Brown v. Board of Education.