Please join the Student Bar Association and the Black Law Students Association as they present this year's Black History Month Keynote Speaker The Honorable G.K. Butterfield. 

G.K. Butterfield is a is a Black civil rights activist, U.S. Army veteran, lawyer, judge, and former U.S. representative from Wilson, N.C. For most of his congressional career, Congressman Butterfield served on the Committee on Energy & Commerce.

In November 2014, Congressman Butterfield was unanimously elected Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. As chairman, Butterfield worked with President Barack Obama and his administration on legislation to address poverty, income inequality, and other economic justice issues. Under his leadership, Butterfield help recruit qualified African Americans for nomination to the federal bench. He also helped lead the effort to pass legislation to update the formula contained in Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Before his election to Congress, Congressman Butterfield practiced law at Fitch, Butterfield & Wynn. In 1988, Butterfield was elected Resident Superior Court Judge presiding over civil and criminal courts in 46 counties of North Carolina. In 2001, Governor Michael Easley appointed Judge Butterfield as Associate Justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court. After losing his election to retain the seat, Butterfield was appointed by Governor Easley as Special Superior Court judge in 2002, a position he held until he successfully ran for Congress in a special election on July 20, 2004.

Congressman Butterfield graduated from North Carolina Central University (NCCU) with a degree in Political Science and Sociology. He then graduated from the NCCU School of Law in 1974 with a Juris Doctor degree. Congressman Butterfield is married to Dr. Sylvia Butterfield who serves as Deputy Assistant Director for the National Science Foundation's Directorate for STEM Education (EDU) in Alexandria, Virginia. Congressman Butterfield is a life-long member of Jackson Chapel First Baptist Church of Wilson. He served in the US Army from 1968-1970 as a Personnel Specialist, E-4. Congressman Butterfield is the proud father of three successful daughters and four young grandsons.