The scholarship, named for the college’s third African-American graduate, helps recruit and retain outstanding African-American students.

Fred Humphries, vice president of U.S. government affairs for the Microsoft Corp. in Washington, D.C., provided the keynote address for the event.

“We are grateful that so many members of the community came out to support the diversity of our student population,” said Doug Blaze, dean of the College of Law. “We were thrilled that so many people share our commitment to an inclusive legal atmosphere and that our sponsors and attendees gave so much to benefit the Blackshear scholarship.”

The College of Law also honored its first African-American graduate, R.B.J. Campbelle Jr. with a posthumous award for his exemplary service to equity and justice. Campbelle’s daughter, Teree Campbelle-McCormick, accepted the award on behalf of his family. The award, which will be known as the R.B.J. Campbelle Award, will be presented annually to an alumnus of the college who personifies the quest for equality and justice.

Campbelle entered the law program a year before the landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education and graduated in 1956.

This year, the UT Knoxville is celebrating 50 years of African-American Achievement. Since no other law school existed in the state at the time, the UT Knoxville College of Law admitted students of color before the main campus because “separate but equal” could not be applied. Non-white students make up 26 percent of the College of Law’s most recent entering class.

Blackshear Gala sponsors included Merchant & Gould LLC, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz PC; Bass, Berry & Sims PLC; Boston, Holt, Sockwell and Durham PLLC; the family of attorney R.B.J. Campbelle Jr.; Hodges, Doughty and Carson PLLC; Husch Blackwell LLP; Kramer Rayson LLP; Lewis, King, Krieg & Waldrop PC; Miller & Martin PLLC; John T. Milburn Rogers; and the UT College of Law Student Bar Association.

Condredge Holloway and Kenny Chesney on the set of ESPN's "SportsCenter."

Condredge Holloway, former Vols quarterback and current UT associate athletics director, broke racial barriers when he was named the first African-American quarterback in the Southeastern Conference in 1971. “The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story,” a documentary chronicling Holloway’s story, will premiere Sunday, Feb. 20, at 8 p.m. on ESPN. The documentary was produced and narrated by country music star and lifelong UT fan, Kenny Chesney.

Holloway is a member of UT’s African-American Hall of Fame, a group that will be recognized throughout 2011 as the university celebrates 50 years of African-American achievement on campus.

Read more about documentary at ESPN, and watch ESPN’s trailer below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF5Npti-Uw4

From: Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek

On Jan. 4 of this year, UT celebrated an important milestone: the 50th anniversary of African-American undergraduates on campus. Unfortunately, inclement weather necessitated postponing our kickoff event. We have rescheduled the event for Tuesday, Feb. 1, in conjunction with the start of Black History Month.

We will begin with a march from the Torchbearer statue at 4:30 p.m. We’ll make our way to the Carolyn P. Brown Memorial University Center auditorium for a program featuring Olympian and UT Knoxville alumna Benita Fitzgerald Mosley. The program will begin immediately after the march.

We’ll commemorate this important anniversary all year with special events and speakers. I invite you to participate in this first event and other upcoming programs planned to commemorate this important part of UT Knoxville history.

For more information about the yearlong celebration, contact Charles Houston (974-3011) or Annazette Houston (974-6087) or e-mail 50thaaau@utk.edu.

From: Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek

On Jan. 4 of this year, UT celebrated an important milestone: the 50th anniversary of African-American undergraduates on campus. Unfortunately, inclement weather necessitated postponing our kickoff event. We have rescheduled the event for Tuesday, Feb. 1, in conjunction with the start of Black History Month.

We will begin with a march from the Torchbearer statue at 4:30 p.m. We’ll make our way to the Carolyn P. Brown Memorial University Center auditorium for a program featuring Olympian and UT Knoxville alumna Benita Fitzgerald Mosley. The program will begin immediately after the march.

We’ll commemorate this important anniversary all year with special events and speakers. I invite you to participate in this first event and other upcoming programs planned to commemorate this important part of UT Knoxville history.

For more information about the yearlong celebration, contact Charles Houston (974-3011) or Annazette Houston (974-6087) or e-mail 50thaaau@utk.edu.

From: Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek

Colleagues,

Before the holiday rush distracts us all, I want to make you aware of an important milestone we’ll begin celebrating at the start of the next semester. January 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of the first African-American undergraduates admitted to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

We’ll commemorate this important anniversary all year with special events and speakers, starting with a kickoff event at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11. In tribute to these students’ brave walk to integrate UT, we will march from the Torchbearer statue to Ayres Hall. A celebration on the Hill will follow with our special guest, Olympian and UT alumna Benita Fitzgerald-Mosley.

If you need further information on the kickoff event or the year-long celebration, please contact Charles Houston (974-3011) or Annazette Houston (974-6087) or e-mail 50thaaau@utk.edu.

I hope that you will take the opportunity to attend and participate in as many events and activities as you can in the coming year.