In Memoriam

The “In Memoriam” section is designed to recognize and celebrate the lives of legal historians. We began in 2021 with inaugural entries on Willard Hurst and Kitty Preyer, two beloved and foundational members of the Society.  We have continued with additional essays by those who knew and admired recently deceased exemplars of the field. We hope that you will suggest additional members of our community who should be recognized here. We will be grateful especially for those who come with suggested texts and photos, or who recommend soliciting such a memorial from another suitable scholar. In general, format and length should roughly approximate our two inaugural entries.

Laura Kalman and Sally Gordon

Image of Barbara Aronstein Black sitting in front of book case and looking away from the lens.

June 22, 2026

Barbara Aronstein Black

Barbara Aronstein Black died at age 92 in early January 2026. She was the first woman president of ASLH and the first woman dean of an ivy-league law school, at Columbia. Black’s tenure in both overlapped significantly, as her presidency of ASLH lasted four years (which was standard for the… Keep Reading