In 1869, when George Lewis Ruffin became the first Black Harvard Law School graduate and later went on to become the first African-America judge in Massachusetts, not many could've imagined the day when the law school would house over 60 students of color.

150 years later since Ruffin etched his name in history, with over 60 students from African Diaspora, the Harvard Law School class of 2021 made history by having one of the largest number of Black students. In an interview with Renwei Chung, the Diversity Columnist at Above the Law, Armani Madison, one of the three student organizers of the "Harvard 1L" photo that has since gone viral, explained what motivated him to organize the photoshoot.

“We wanted to find a way to celebrate the beauty and brilliance of our class and to inspire other students across the country with positive images of Black students succeeding in higher education," Madison said. “We knew that our class was among the largest classes of Black students in Harvard Law’s history and we wanted to visually tell that story. Within this one photo are many incredible narratives and ambitions and we wanted to share this with others," he said.

During the same Above the Law interview, Daniel Oyolu, the second of the three student organizers who is part Nigerian, gave advice to those who are thinking about applying to law school. “Law school is a significant investment so take your time and assess why you want to attend," he said. "Law school admission counselors are people just like you who are captivated by compelling stories. There is only one you in the world. Share that story.”

Shane Fowler, the third of the three student organizers said his goal as a lawyer is to change how society views those at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder in hopes that it would then lead to policy decisions that promote affordable healthcare, adequate working wages, and educational opportunities without crippling student debt. “The economic inequality and wealth disparity in this country presents unique and alarming challenges for the future of our society," he said.

Harvard Law School, the oldest, continuous law school in the US founded in 1817, is reputed as one of the most prestigious law schools in the world. It's currently ranked number one by the Quacquarelli Symonds "QS" World University Ranking and birthed several high-profile African-American lawyers since the early days of Ruffin. Among them is Barrack Obama who went on to become the first Black president of the US.