Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law Lecture

“John McLean: Southern Ohio’s Homegrown Anti-Slavery Justice”
Paul Finkelman, Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus, Albany Law School

Lecture Overview
John McLean, the first Ohioan on the U.S. Supreme Court, was a committed opponent of slavery in the decades leading up to the Civil War. He dissented in major cases such as Prigg v. Pennsylvania (1842) and Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), and as a member of the Ohio Supreme Court, he firmly declared that slavery was not permitted in Ohio, freeing any enslaved individuals brought into the state. While personally aiding enslaved people to freedom, McLean also enforced the Fugitive Slave Laws of 1793 and 1850 when required by law, which drew criticism from abolitionists. This lecture delves into McLean’s efforts to reconcile his opposition to slavery with his constitutional obligations, highlighting the complexities of his judicial career.

About the Lecturer
Paul Finkelman, Distinguished Professor of Law at Albany Law School, is a renowned scholar and author of over 50 books, including Supreme Injustice: Slavery in the Nation's Highest Court (Harvard University Press). His work has been cited in six U.S. Supreme Court decisions and many other federal and state courts.

Professor Finkelman has appeared on PBS, C-SPAN, NBC, and CBS’s Sunday Morning and served as the lead scholar for the 2024 film One Person, One Vote on the Electoral College. His writings have been featured in prominent outlets such as The New York Times, Washington Post, and The Atlantic.

A specialist in American legal history, constitutional law, civil rights, and race relations, Professor Finkelman has lectured extensively on human rights and legal issues in the U.S. and abroad. He has held prestigious chairs at institutions including Duke Law School, the University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Ottawa, where he was the Fulbright Chair in Human Rights and Social Justice. He holds degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Chicago and was a fellow in Law and Humanities at Harvard Law School.

1 hour of general CLE credit has been approved for KY. OH is pending, approval is expected.