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 era), from 1985-89; the deanship from 1986-91. Read the rest

David Langum died on March 29, 2026 at age 85 in his home in Birmingham, Alabama.
An eminent legal historian and prolific scholar, David authored eight books and dozens of academic articles and book reviews. He taught legal history, property law, evidence, and real estate law at the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University as a professor of law from 1985 to 2005 and served as a research professor there from 2005 until his death. Read the rest

Bill Nelson, who died three months ago, was a pivotal and transformative figure in the growth of the field of American legal history.  His scholarship included several monuments and field defining works.  His mentorship was unmatched. Because of him, the Golieb Seminar at NYU Law School became a necessary way station for two generations of budding legal historians.  Read the rest