Today in History: Title IX

Today in History: Title IX

Today in History–June 23–Congress passed the landmark legislation, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which, as amended (20 U.S.C. § 1681, et seq.) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational institutions and programs receiving federal funding. Learn more in this research guide overview and the resources linked to above and below….

Primary Source Spotlight: Constance Baker Motley

Primary Source Spotlight: Constance Baker Motley

Constance Baker Motley image set James Meredith and NAACP lawyers Constance Baker Motley and Jack Greenberg photo Founding of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund memorandum from Thurgood Marshall Constance Baker Motley historical newspaper coverage NAACP lawyer Constance Baker Motley discusses her surprise at crowds at the March on Washington video Our Guest Speaker:…

Timely Connections: Constitutional Rights of Students

Timely Connections: Constitutional Rights of Students

Every year the United States celebrates Constitution Day on September 17. How much do you know about U.S. constitutional rights? Did you know that those rights are different in the context of public schools? School officials have significant leeway when instituting and enforcing rules to maintain a safe environment conducive to learning but, over the…

Primary Source Spotlight: Voting Rights Act of 1965

Primary Source Spotlight: Voting Rights Act of 1965

Online exhibition items & curator notes Voting Rights Act of 1965 African American Odyssey Voting Rights Act of 1965 Civil Rights Act of 1964 Voting Rights Act of 1965 NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom Voting rights political cartoons by Herb Block Don’t Be Getting Any Ideas That You Have a Right to Vote March 11,1965…

Primary Source Spotlight: Supreme Court

Primary Source Spotlight: Supreme Court

United States Reports official reports of decisions for the United States Supreme Court by Volume by Authoring Justice by Major Case Topic Supreme Court Nominations: Confirmed Supreme Court Nominations: Not Confirmed or Withdrawn U.S. legislation related to the Supreme Court 1973 and later The Supreme Court and the Constitution 1912 More books about the Supreme Court…

Primary Source Spotlight: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Primary Source Spotlight: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg portrait More Ruth Bader Ginsburg images Ruth Bader Ginsburg Notes for oral arguments in Duren v. Missouri November 1, 1978 Hearings Before the Committee on the Judiciary United States Senate One Hundred Third Congress First Session on the Nomination of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to Be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of…

Today in History: John Jay

Today in History: John Jay

Today in History–December 12–the Library of Congress features founding father John Jay, born on this day in 1745. Jay had a long, full political career including president of the Continental Congress, author of several Federalist Papers, and first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Learn more about John Jay by visiting the Today in History section, then click…

Today in History: Thurgood Marshall

Today in History: Thurgood Marshall

Today in History–October 2–the Library of Congress features Thurgood Marshall, sworn in as Supreme Court Justice on this day in 1967; he was the first African American to serve. President Lyndon B. Johnson said of Marshall’s appointment, “the right thing to do, the right time to do it, the right man and the right place.” Prior to becoming a…

Today in History: Reverdy Johnson

Today in History: Reverdy Johnson

Today in History–May 21–the Library of Congress features attorney and statesman Reverdy Johnson, born on this day in 1796. Although personally opposed to slavery (he emancipated slaves inherited from his father), Johnson represented the slave-owning defendant in the 1857 Dred Scott U.S. Supreme Court case, which  decided that slaves could not be citizens. Learn more about this politician by visiting the Today in…

Today in History: Plessy v. Ferguson

Today in History: Plessy v. Ferguson

Today in History–May 18–the Library of Congress features the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson, which ruled on this day in 1896 that separate-but-equal facilities on intrastate railroads were constitutional. The decision gave legal sanction to Jim Crow segregation laws and the decision was not reversed until May 17, 1954 when the Supreme Court unanimously agreed that segregation was unconstitutional in the…