He served as an Instructor of Clinical Pharmacy at his alma mater in 1970–71, where he set up "door-to-door" outreach campaigns in low-income neighborhoods to inform people about their medical care options and performing preliminary screenings.

It was during the administration of then-Texas Southern University President Leonard O. Spearman, where Leland received an honorary doctorate degree from his alma mater.

In 1984, Leland established the congressional select committee on Hunger and initiated a number of programs designed to assuage the famine crises that plagued Ethiopia and Sudan through much of the 1980s.

The work for which he is best remembered began when Leland co-authored legislation with U.S. Rep. Ben Gilman (R-New York State) in establishing the House Select Committee on Hunger.

The committee's impact and influence would stem largely from Leland's ability to generate awareness of complex hunger alleviation issues and exert his personal moral leadership.

Reports of acute famine in sub-Saharan Africa immediately prompted Speaker O'Neill to ask Leland to lead a bipartisan Congressional delegation to assess conditions and relief requirements.

When Leland returned, he brought together entertainment personalities, religious leaders and private voluntary agencies to create general public support for the Africa Famine Relief and Recovery Act of 1985.

The international attention Leland had focused on the famine brought additional support for non-governmental efforts, saving thousands of lives.

His ability in reaching out to others with innovative ideas and to gain support from unlikely sources was a key to his success in effectively addressing the problems for the poor and minorities.

[3] A total of 16 people died in the crash, also including the acclaimed writer Roberta Worrick, who wrote under the pen name Maria Thomas.

(1) Arrival Ceremony for Leland on August 23, 1989 [1] (2) Memorial Service for Congressman Leland on August 14, 1989 [2] (3) Reaction on the Leland plane crash from August 13, 1989 [3] (4) Update on Leland fatal plane crash from August 13, 1989 [4] (5) Call-in session on the resignation of House Speaker Jim Wright from May 31, 1989 [5] (6) Congressional Black Caucus from May 23, 1989 [6] (7) Black Jewish Relations from April 11, 1989 [7] (8) Judaism Foreign Policy from April 11, 1989 [8] (9) Nominating Speeches at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia from July 21, 1988 [9] (10) Hiring & Promotion Cable TV & Broadcast Industry from May 17, 1988 [10] (11) Program Trading Stock Market Volatility from April 21, 1988 [11] (12) Telephone Rate Regulation from November 10, 1987 [12] (13) World Hunger from October 14, 1987 [13] (14) Iran-Contra Investigation Day 1 from May 5, 1987 [14] (15) South African Sanction Veto Override from September 29, 1986 [15] (16) 1986 Election Briefing from August 14, 1986 [16] (17) Scrambling Satellite Television from June 12, 1986 [17] (18) Jim Wright Roast on May 13, 1986 [18] (19) Mickey Leland Interview from December 16, 1985 [19] (20) Employment Issues from July 10, 1985 [20] (21) William Reynolds Nomination from June 5, 1985 [21] (22) Black Hispanic Breakfast from July 18, 1984 [22] (23) Minority Caucus from July 18, 1984 [23] (24) Broadcast Reform from October 6, 1983 [24] (25) Broadcast Reform from September 23, 1983 [25] (26) Minorities in the Media from September 19, 1983 [26] (27) GM Car Brake Defects from August 5, 1983 [27]