The American Society for Legal History has elected Mary Frances Berry an Honorary Fellow of the Society. Berry is the Geraldine R. Segal Professor of American Social Thought and Professor of History in the School of Arts & Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania. Election as an Honorary Fellow is the highest honor the Society can confer.

“No one has done more than Mary Frances Berry to advance our understanding of race, gender and the Constitution in the United States, as evidenced by her work and by the work of the many scholars she has influenced,” said Michael Grossberg, ASLH president.

In 1987, Berry joined the Penn faculty where she teaches courses on the History of American Law and the History of Law and Social Policy. She also advises graduate students in legal history and African-American history.

She is the author of 10 books, most recently Power in Words: The Stories Behind Barack Obama's Speeches, From the State House to the White House with Josh Gottheimer and And Justice for All: The United States Commission on Civil Rights and the Struggle for Freedom in America. Berry has also written numerous articles that explore various aspects of legal history from the perspective of gender and race. She has been recognized with 35 honorary doctoral degrees and many awards.

Berry came to Penn after a distinguished career in public service. President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1980. President Bill Clinton named her chair 13 years later. During her 25-year tenure, the Commission emerged as a visible protector of minority rights, creating significant reports on issues ranging from environmental justice and affirmative action to conditions on Native American reservations. Berry earned a reputation as a courageous advocate on behalf of politically unpopular causes and as an independent thinker who vastly expanded the commission’s mandate.