Howard University School of Law Welcomes Environmental Justice Pioneer Charles Lee as 2025 Visiting Scholar

Washington, D.C. — Howard University School of Law is honored to welcome Charles Lee, a pioneer in the environmental justice (EJ) movement, as a Visiting Scholar for the Environmental and Climate Justice Center.

Widely recognized as a founder of the EJ movement, Lee authored the landmark 1987 report Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States and organized the 1991 First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit. His decades of advocacy have shaped federal policy, revitalized communities, and brought national attention to environmental racism.

Lee’s leadership at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with his service on numerous national advisory bodies, has earned recognition from institutions including the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress. At Howard Law, he will support the school’s ongoing work at the intersection of law, equity and environmental justice.

Second-year student Atia Bailey shared her excitement about Lee’s arrival on campus: “I think it’s great that Charles Lee is a visiting scholar with us. He has been so pivotal to the environmental justice movement. His expertise in a rather niche area of the law has further influenced my interest in sacrifice zones and environmental justice. As a student, I’m truly excited to learn from someone with his depth of experience and impact.”

“We are honored to welcome Charles Lee to Howard University School of Law as a Visiting Scholar,” said Professor Carlton Waterhouse, director of the Environmental Justice Center. “His work has been foundational for advancing environmental justice from the beginnings of the movement up to today, and his presence on our campus is both timely and transformative. Our students, faculty and broader community will benefit immensely from his experience, insight and enduring legacy.”