Howard University law professor Kiah Duggins among victims in fatal DC plane crash

Howard University law professor Kiah Duggins was among 64 victims of the American Airlines crash near Reagan Airport.

Kiah Duggins, a civil rights attorney and incoming Howard law professor, was among 64 killed in the Jan. 29 midair collision.

Duggins, a Wichita State University alum and Harvard Law graduate, had been traveling back to Washington, D.C., after visiting her mother, who recently underwent surgery. She was a prominent advocate for criminal justice reform, working with the Civil Rights Corps to challenge systemic issues within the legal system.

Her family confirmed her passing, with her father, Maurice Duggins, releasing a statement requesting privacy as they mourn their loss. Howard University also honored her memory, with President Ben Vinson III expressing deep sorrow over her untimely passing.

Duggins was a former Miss Kansas finalist and had served as president of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. She was set to begin teaching at Howard University’s law school in the fall. Friends and colleagues remembered her as a brilliant legal scholar and dedicated advocate for civil rights.

As of Jan. 30, search crews had recovered 28 bodies from the Potomac River, where the aircraft crashed. The Associated Press confirmed that three Army soldiers aboard the Black Hawk helicopter were among the deceased. Investigations into the cause of the collision remain ongoing.