Charles Hamilton Houston, Esquire was a genuine civil rights hero who worked on a series of cases that reached the U.S. Supreme Court. He laid the groundwork for the ongoing pursuit of equality and justice in our courts. For instance, Attorney Houston engineered the legal strategy that ultimately resulted in the Brown vs. Board of Education decision overturning “separate but equal” Jim Crow segregation. He also mentored U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall who stated: “We wouldn’t have been anyplace if Charlie hadn’t laid the groundwork.” The PBA’s Minority Bar Committee is proud to include his name in its “Houston’s Rising Star Award” as well as its newsletter, "Houston’s Legacy," in order to inspire our members to continue his important unfinished work.

The Rising Star Award is an opportunity for the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Minority Bar Committee to recognize the outstanding achievements and accomplishments of our members on the rise. Each year, the Rising Star Program Subcommittee will select an active member of the Minority Bar Committee who has made significant contributions to the Minority Bar Committee and/or the PBA. Award recipients will be profiled in Houston’s Legacy, the Newsletter of the Minority Bar Committee, and recognized on the PBA website. Award recipients will also be honored at the Pennsylvania Bar Association Annual Meeting in May 2022.

• Nominations for the Rising Star Award may be submitted using this form, adding additional pages as necessary.
• Nominations may be submitted via mail, email, or online submission.
• Self-nominations are accepted.