W&L Law inaugurated an annual lecture in February 2020 to recognize the life and legacy of Leslie Devan Smith Jr., the first African American to graduate from the Law School in 1969. In 2019, the Law School unveiled a permanent exhibit in Lewis Hall to celebrate Smith, telling the story of his arrival in Lexington, his accomplishments as a student, and his all-too-short career with the U.S. Department of Justice before his tragic passing in 1971. Digitized materials relating to the Les Smith exhibit are also available in the W&L Law Scholarly Commons.