Prof. Bereket Habte Selassie

Introduction: A Luminary of Law and Liberation

Prof. Bereket Habte Selassie stands as a monumental figure at the intersection of Academia & Research, African jurisprudence, and national liberation. A distinguished Professor at Howard University School of Law, his life's work is a profound testament to intellectual rigor and unwavering commitment to justice. Born in Eritrea in 1930, his journey from a colonial subject to a principal architect of his nation's constitution and an internationally respected scholar encapsulates a century of African struggle and self-determination. His most notable achievement is his pivotal role in drafting the 1997 Constitution of Eritrea, a document that, though tragically unimplemented, remains a beacon of democratic aspiration. Prof. Bereket Habte Selassie's career is a unique blend of active political engagement and deep scholarly contribution, making him a vital subject of study in the fields of law, African studies, and post-colonial state-building.

Early Life & Education: Forging a Scholar in the Crucible of Colonialism

Bereket Habte Selassie was born in 1930 in the small town of Segeneyti, Eritrea, then under Italian colonial rule. His formative years were shaped by the successive colonial administrations of Italy and Britain, experiences that planted the early seeds of his political consciousness and dedication to sovereignty. Demonstrating exceptional academic promise from a young age, he pursued his secondary education at the prestigious Prince Makonnen School in the capital, Asmara.

His pursuit of higher education took him abroad, a path that would define his future. He earned his first degree from the University of Adelaide in South Australia. He then crossed the Atlantic to the United States, where he completed a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from Howard University in 1962—an institution with which he would later have a lifelong association. He furthered his legal studies at Oxford University, obtaining a Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations in 1964. This diverse educational trajectory, spanning continents and legal traditions, equipped Prof. Bereket Habte Selassie with a global perspective on law and governance, which he would tirelessly apply to the cause of his homeland.

Career & Major Achievements: From Liberation Front to University Halls

The career of Prof. Bereket Habte Selassie is distinctly divided into two interconnected phases: his service to the Eritrean liberation struggle and his prolific academic career in the United States.

Service to Eritrea: Architect of a Nation

In the 1960s, as the armed struggle for Eritrean independence intensified, Bereket Habte Selassie became a prominent intellectual voice and diplomat for the Eritrean Liberation Front (ELF) and later the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF). He served as the EPLF's representative to the United Nations and North America, articulating the case for Eritrean self-determination on the world stage. Following Eritrea's hard-won independence in 1991, he was appointed as the Attorney General of the Provisional Government of Eritrea (1992-1993). His crowning contribution came as the Chairman of the Constitutional Commission, leading the drafting process of Eritrea's first constitution from 1994 to 1997. The resulting document was hailed as modern and democratic, but its ratification and implementation were halted by the Eritrean government in the late 1990s, a profound disappointment that led to his critical stance toward the regime.

Academic Legacy: Professor at Howard University

Parallel to and following his direct government service, Prof. Bereket Habte Selassie established himself as a leading academic. He joined the faculty of the Howard University School of Law in 1978, where he served as the William H. Hastie Professor of Law until his retirement. His scholarship focused on African constitutionalism, comparative law, and human rights. He authored seminal works, including The Making of the Eritrean Constitution and Wounded Nation: How a Once Promising Eritrea Was Betrayed and Its Future Compromised. At Howard, he mentored generations of law students, particularly those from Africa and the diaspora, instilling in them a commitment to justice and ethical governance. His academic output, comprising numerous books, articles, and lectures, remains an essential resource for understanding the complexities of law and state formation in post-colonial Africa.

Key Accomplishments & Impact

• Principal Drafter of the 1997 Eritrean Constitution: Crafted a foundational document emphasizing democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
• Distinguished Legal Scholar: Prolific author and the William H. Hastie Professor at Howard University School of Law for decades.
• Voice for Justice: A consistent and courageous critic of authoritarianism in Eritrea and a defender of human rights internationally.
• Bridge Between Academia and Praxis: Uniquely combined high-level scholarly work with hands-on constitutional drafting and diplomacy.

Personal Life & Legacy: The Man Behind the Scholarship

Beyond his public life, Prof. Bereket Habte Selassie is known as a man of deep principle, culture, and resilience. His personal story is one of exile and unwavering hope. Since the late 1990s, he has lived in the United States, unable to return to an Eritrea governed by a regime he criticizes. Despite this, his commitment to his people has never wavered. He is a respected elder within the global Eritrean diaspora, offering guidance and historical perspective. His interests are rooted in the rich cultural heritage of the Horn of Africa, and he often draws upon history, philosophy, and literature in his writings and speeches.

The legacy of Prof. Bereket Habte Selassie is multifaceted. He leaves behind a body of scholarly work that will inform African legal studies for generations. For Eritreans, he symbolizes the lost promise of a democratic constitutional order, and his 1997 constitution remains a powerful symbol of an alternative future. His life teaches the vital lesson that the fight for justice requires both the pen and principled action. He is remembered not only as a Professor at Howard University but as a patriot who dedicated his intellect to the service of his nation's highest ideals.

Net Worth & Business Ventures

As a lifelong academic and public servant, the primary "wealth" of Prof. Bereket Habte Selassie is intellectual and scholarly, not measured in commercial business ventures or a significant public net worth. His career was dedicated to education, legal scholarship, and public service rather than private enterprise. His income derived from his prestigious professorial salary at Howard University, along with royalties from his published works and honoraria from lectures. Any financial resources he accumulated have been directed toward sustaining his research, writing, and advocacy work. Unlike figures in the corporate world, his value and impact are quantified by his influence on constitutional thought, his mentorship of students, and his unwavering moral stance on Eritrean and African governance. His legacy is one of intellectual capital and principled commitment, assets that far transcend monetary valuation.

Sources & Further Reading: For more on Prof. Bereket Habte Selassie's work, readers can explore his published books, scholarly articles in law journals, and interviews archived by institutions like Howard University and the Eritrean diaspora media. His own writings, particularly "The Making of the Eritrean Constitution," serve as the primary source for understanding his constitutional vision.