Reverend Erastus Milo Cravath, a co-founder of Fisk University and a notable abolitionist, played a pivotal role in its establishment in 1865 as the Fisk School in Nashville, Tennessee. Its mission was to make the highest standard of education available to newly freed enslaved people. Cravath served as the university’s first president from 1875 to 1900. 

He raised his family on the campus grounds, and his commitment to the university was carried on by his son Paul Drennan Cravath. Though the younger Cravath was a lawyer best known as a named partner in the Firm, he also held leadership positions at the university for 45 years. 

The university built Cravath Hall as a library in honor of the elder Cravath in 1930, the same year that Fisk became the first African American institution to be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Later, Fisk became the first HBCU included on the approved lists of the Association of American Universities and the American Association of University Women. 

Fisk has also been recognized for its distinguished art collection, one example of which is found in Cravath Hall. The second floor houses murals painted by renowned Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas. He described them as a “panorama of the development of Black people in this hemisphere, in the new world.” Wrapping around the walls of a series of rooms, the murals depict historic events—such as the Middle Passage, the Civil War and the abolitionist movement—and highlight the achievements of prominent African American artists. 

The immersive works serve as a testament to Black resilience and achievement, values that the school not only celebrates but cultivates. Notable Fisk alumni include scholar W.E.B. Du Bois, novelist Nella Larsen, civil rights leader Diane Nash and Congressman John Lewis. 

“The Fisk student journey is guided by the enduring legacy of many remarkable alumni who paved the way before them,” said University President Dr. Agenia Walker Clark. “Our mission, steadfast since our founding, remains the cultivation of bold leaders and change agents who shape the world around them. As President, I've had the privilege to meet countless students who navigate their paths with the same spirit of determination and resilience embodied by Erastus Cravath himself. Their journeys reflect not just our history, but the ongoing commitment to excellence that defines the Fisk experience.”

During Amber’s meeting in Cravath Hall, she learned she was right about the scholarships. The senior administrator asked her if she was interested in becoming a Cravath Scholar. He described the program, which was launched by the Firm in 2019 to celebrate its bicentennial and deepen its commitment to Fisk University, offering tuition assistance and the opportunity for undergraduates to intern at Cravath over the summer.  

At the time of the conversation, Amber’s only employment experience had been working as a barista, but she was eager for a role that would allow her to grow professionally. In 2021, she joined the Firm as one of four summer litigation paralegals from Fisk that year. Like many newcomers to Cravath, her first few days were reminiscent of diving into the deep end of a pool.

“I was told that this is a job that allows for growth,” she remembers. “And you’ll learn so much about yourself and the world.”  

Amber was staffed on a number of matters related to the media industry and on pro bono cases. She found the work both challenging and rewarding. At the end of the summer, she applied for and received an offer to return as a litigation paralegal after graduation.  

As a full-time paralegal, she has been part of trial teams that have handled some of the Firm’s most high-profile cases. At the end of her first year on the job, she was promoted to senior litigation paralegal, and Amber attributes much of her success at the Firm to her development at Fisk and to her mentors, including case managers and attorneys at all levels.

Since its inception, the Cravath Scholars program has welcomed 13 Fisk students to the Firm, with four currently employed at Cravath. Chandler Claiborne, another Scholar in Amber’s cohort, also transitioned to a full-time role at the Firm after graduation and is now a senior litigation paralegal.

Born and raised in Memphis, Chandler said that his time at the Firm has been transformative: “When I look back on the person I was two years ago, that’s a completely different person than who I am now.”

In Amber’s and Chandler’s current positions, they train and mentor new paralegals, including those in the Fisk Scholars program, to help them acclimate to the Firm. Both of them additionally speak to undergraduates at Fisk about the program, serving as ambassadors of the Firm at the university and vice versa. When speaking with interested students, Chandler emphasizes that while working at a law firm may differ completely from their prior experiences, it presents an opportunity for professional growth and self-discovery.  

Though the legal world may be initially unfamiliar for students, Fisk University and the Firm share more than just historical ties to Erastus and Paul Cravath. Over the centuries, both institutions have upheld a commitment to excellence and to nurturing the next generations of leaders. 

Remembering his journey from Nashville to New York, Chandler also reflected on the sense of boundless opportunity and potential these students will experience. “It taught me that when you’re a Fisk student and you really take that time to dedicate yourself to something, the possibilities are endless,” he said.