In his 47 years as a law professor, L. Darnell Weeden has witnessed students face unforeseen hardships —experiencing sudden illness, having a car accident, being the victim of a crime — and hopes to relieve some of the financial burden associated with such challenges.
With a significant gift to the University of Mississippi School of Law, the Texas resident has established the L. Darnell Weeden Good Samaritan Scholarship in Law Endowment, which will provide need‑based emergency assistance to students facing unforeseen hardships during the academic year.
“If students are worried about their economic situation associated with an emergency, they may not be able to focus on their studies, so some financial assistance will help alleviate that stress,” said Weeden, who earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from Ole Miss in 1972 and his juris doctorate from Ole Miss Law School in 1975.
Now a professor who teaches torts and constitutional law at Texas Southern Thurgood School of Law, Weeden continues to find joy in helping students sharpen their critical thinking and legal analysis skills.
Several years ago, Weeden established the L. Darnell Weeden Endowed Scholarship for law students attending Thurgood Marshall.
“I enjoy working at Thurgood Marshall, and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law has been good to me,” he said. “I think endowed scholarships are useful tools to support student learning.
“Many students took out loans to go to undergrad and more loans to go to law school. When something unforeseen happens, they don’t need the burden of another loan, even a small one,” Weeden continued. “Students can get stretched economically; I just want my gift to encourage them to stay focused.”
UM School of Law Dean Frederick G. Slabach expressed deep appreciation for the endowment, noting how often students face financial disruption.
“It’s not uncommon for a number of our students to face financial hardships for one reason or another during the academic year,” the dean said. “I know Professor Weeden has seen these situations firsthand many times in his career, and his compassion for helping students is most admirable. He truly embodies the spirit of a good Samaritan.”
Weeden’s empathy is rooted in his own experiences. Raised in Tunica, Mississippi — then the poorest county in the nation — he became the first African American student to graduate in journalism from Ole Miss.
“I was the only Black in probably 95 percent or more of my classes,” he recalled. “They judged me on merit. It really became a performance-based determination. If you performed, they respected it.”
After a brief stint as a journalist at the Greenville Delta-Democrat Times, Weeden returned to Ole Miss to pursue law, believing it was his true calling. His early legal career included private practice in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and working for Legal Services in Coahoma County. He later transitioned into academia, holding positions at North Carolina Central University, Southern University, and Antioch College of Law (now the University of the District of Columbia’s Clark School of Law), where he completed a fellowship in its legal clinic. At the end of his two-year Clinical Fellowship at Antioch, Weeden earned a Master of Arts degree in 1979.
Weeden credits the University of Mississippi for shaping his professional life.
“I am very glad I went to Ole Miss,” he said. “I enjoy Thurgood Marshall and it’s been good to me, but Ole Miss is home. It’s where I started. But for Ole Miss, I might not be a lawyer and be able to have the opportunity for employment. I appreciate the opportunities that Ole Miss gave me.”
The L. Darnell Weeden Good Samaritan Scholarship in Law Endowment is open to support from businesses and individuals. Gifts can be made by sending a check to the University of Mississippi Foundation, with the fund’s name noted on the memo line, to 406 University Ave., Oxford, MS 38655, or to give online, click here.
To support the School of Law, contact Greg Carter, associate director of development for the School of Law, at gjcarter@olemiss.edu or 662-915-1849.
By Bill Dabney/UM Foundation