History

The Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association was originally established in 1976 as the Association of Black Attorneys of San Diego County (“ABASDC”). In 1982, under the presidency of Daniel Weber, ABASDC formally changed its name to the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association (“EBGBA”) in recognition of the Honorable Earl B. Gilliam, the first African-American United States District Court judge for the Southern District of California. Judge Gilliam was also the first African-American to serve as a San Diego County Superior Court judge.

Today, EBGBA represents the interests of African-American attorneys, judges, law professors and students in the county of San Diego. The non-profit organization’s mission statement articulates its commitment to “defending the legal and human rights of African-Americans; eliminating the root causes of poverty, powerlessness and racism; preserving the high standards of integrity, honor and courtesy in the legal profession; and promoting the professional and personal interests of individual members.”

The EBGBA organization includes individuals who are, or have been, judges, professors, and officers of the National Bar Association, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the California Association of Black Lawyers, the San Diego County Bar Association and the Lawyers Club of San Diego. Many continue to serve in leadership positions on boards and committees of the State Bar of California and other organizations.