NCABL Honors NC's First Black Lawyer at 2026 Joint Annual Conference

On August 15, 2026, a crowd gathered on Market Street in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina, to witness the unveiling of a state highway historical marker honoring George Lawrence Mabson — the first African American admitted to practice law in North Carolina. The dedication was a centerpiece of the 135th Joint Annual Conference of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers (NCABL) and the Old North State Medical Society (ONSMS), held August 14–16 at the Hotel Ballast.

Who Was George Lawrence Mabson?

Born in Wilmington around 1845, George Lawrence Mabson served in the Union Army during the Civil War before pursuing a legal education at Howard University's Law School, from which he graduated in 1871. That same year, he was admitted to practice law in North Carolina — a milestone that came just six years after the end of the Civil War and at a time when Black Americans faced systematic exclusion from virtually every professional institution in the South.

Mabson's career extended well beyond the courtroom. He served in the North Carolina House of Representatives, the North Carolina Senate, and the North Carolina Constitutional Convention of 1875, making him one of the most consequential Black public figures in the state during the Reconstruction era. His legacy was largely overlooked for generations, making the 2026 marker dedication a long-overdue act of historical recognition.

The Marker Dedication

The dedication ceremony began with an indoor program at the Hotel Ballast from 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., followed by the marker unveiling on Market Street between 16th and 17th streets. NCABL President Kimberly A. Moore — a former federal prosecutor — delivered remarks alongside Leslie Cruickshank, Research Historian Supervisor at the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, which co-sponsored the marker along with NCABL and ONSMS.

"George Mabson fearlessly paved the way for numerous attorneys of color to practice in this great state," Moore said, framing his legacy as a beacon for the conference's broader theme of uniting justice and health in an era of uncertainty.

A Conference Built Around Collaboration

The 2026 Joint Annual Conference, themed "Bridging Justice and Health: Collaborative Leadership in an Era of Uncertainty," brought together Black attorneys, judges, physicians, and community leaders for three days of programming focused on health equity, workforce readiness, and innovation. The event featured Dr. Eddie Glaude as the Saturday luncheon keynote speaker and the Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II at the Sunday Joint Prayer Breakfast.

The conference's medical program offered physicians 8.25 continuing medical education credits, reflecting the longstanding partnership between NCABL and ONSMS — two organizations that trace their roots to the era of segregation, when Black professionals were excluded from mainstream bar and medical associations.

NCABL's Broader Advocacy in 2026

The Wilmington conference was not the only front on which NCABL was active in 2026. Earlier in the year, the organization sounded the alarm over a proposed U.S. Department of Justice rule that would grant the DOJ "right-of-first-review" over bar complaints involving federal attorneys. NCABL President Moore warned members that the rule could effectively sideline or terminate state bar investigations into federal lawyers, undermining the independent oversight that state bars have historically provided. The organization urged members to submit public comments before the April 6, 2026, deadline.

Why It Matters

The marker honoring Mabson arrives at a moment when the legal profession is grappling with questions about diversity, representation, and the durability of civil rights protections. For Black attorneys in North Carolina — who continue to be underrepresented in the state's courts, law firms, and judiciary — the recognition of Mabson's pioneering role is both a historical corrective and a reminder of how far the profession has come, and how far it still has to go.

The Capital City Lawyers Association, which celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2026, and organizations like NCABL continue to serve as vital networks for Black legal professionals navigating a profession that remains, in many respects, a work in progress.