PATRICIA J WILLIAMS is a Distinguished Professor of Law and Humanities at Northeastern University, and director of law, technology and ethics initiatives. A graduate of Wellesley College and Harvard Law School, she is also Professor Emerita at Columbia University School of Law. She is the author of six books, including “Giving a Damn: Racism, Romance and Gone With the Wind.” Her award-winning column, “Diary of a Mad Law Professor,” appeared in the Nation magazine for two decades. She is the recipient of seven honorary doctorates and a MacArthur Fellowship. Her book “The Miracle of the Black Leg: Notes on Race, Human Bodies, and the Spirit of the Law,” (New Press) was published in June.