Students, Faculty, Staff Invited to Honor the Legacy of Silas Hunt

Graphic by the Office of Admissions

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Join Judge Wiley Austin Branton Jr. for a lively lunchtime discussion hosted by the University of Arkansas School of Law, the Office of Admissions, and the Arkansas Alumni Association to honor the legacy of Silas Hunt. The lunch and learn will take from 12:15-1:15 p.m. via Zoom on Tuesday, Feb. 2, which is the 73rd anniversary of Hunt's admission to the law school.

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Judge Branton Jr., now retired, is the son of the late Wiley A. Branton, one of the university's Six Pioneers, and lead counsel for the black plaintiffs in the case that became known as Cooper v. Aaron. Branton will share stories of his father and Hunt, and comment on the legal challenges of Arkansas's past, weaving memory and narrative into the fabric of history.

Branton served as a circuit court judge in the 6th Judicial District of the state of Arkansas from July 1993 until his retirement on December 31, 2020. He has had 45 years of varied legal and academic experience. He has been active on several local, state, and national committees and organizations, which seek to improve outcomes for children and families and the justice system. Branton has also been the recipient of several awards and honors including the Maurice Cathy Award For Outstanding Contributions To The Arkansas Lawyer Magazine presented by The Arkansas Lawyer, the Juvenile Judge of the Year Award presented by the Arkansas Coalition for Juvenile Justice, the Soul of Humanity Award presented by the Central High National Historic Site, and the Friend of Children Award presented by Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.

ABOUT SILAS HUNT

Hunt was a native of Texarkana and veteran of World War II. He made history on Feb. 2, 1948, when he became the first African American student to attend a major public university in the South and the first ever admitted for graduate or professional studies. University of Arkansas School of Law then-Dean Robert A. Leflar reviewed Hunt's academic record and admitted him.

This was the first step toward integration at the University of Arkansas as well as colleges and universities across the southern United States. At this time though, integration of the classroom did not exist, and Hunt attended separate classes in the law school's basement.

Hunt only completed one semester of classes before becoming ill and withdrawing from school. He died from tuberculosis on April 22, 1949, less than 16 months after starting his legal studies. His legacy, however, continued. Students Wiley A. Branton, George W. Haley, George Howard Jr., Christopher Mercer and Jackie A. Shropshire quickly followed in Hunt's footsteps. Collectively, they have become known as the Six Pioneers.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among fewer than 3% of colleges and universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.