Archer, Dennis (1942-…), is an American lawyer and a former judge and city mayor. He was the first African American to be elected president of the American Bar Association (ABA). The ABA is an organization of lawyers, judges, law students, and law teachers. Archer was president of the organization in 2003 and 2004.
Archer was born on Jan. 1, 1942, in Detroit. He earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Western Michigan University in 1965. From 1965 to 1970, he taught children with learning disabilities in Detroit public schools. After earning a law degree from the Detroit College of Law in 1970, Archer began practicing law in Detroit.
In 1983 and 1984, Archer was president of the National Bar Association, an association of African American lawyers. He then served as president of the State Bar of Michigan in 1984 and 1985. From 1986 to 1990, he was an associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.
Archer was the mayor of Detroit from 1994 to 2001. During this time, the city experienced an economic revival, and Archer supported numerous construction projects in the city’s downtown area. In 2001, Archer was president of the National League of Cities, an organization that represents United States cities. After leaving office as mayor, Archer returned to the practice of law.
See also American Bar Association .
