On May 17, 1954, the United States Supreme Court handed down its decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which declared segregated public educational facilities unconstitutional. Click the links below to access resources to help you dig deeper into this seminal event in U.S. history. U.S. Reports Notes concerning Chief Justice Warren’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education 1954…
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….
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:…
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…
Today in History—November 30—the In Custodia Legis blog features lawyer Belva Lockwood, the became the first woman to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court on this day in 1880. In that case—Kaiser v. Stickney—she represented a local property owner in a debt dispute. Although Lockwood lost this case, she returned to the Supreme Court in…
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…
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Authoring Justice by Major Case Topic Supreme Court Nominations: Confirmed Supreme Court Nominations: Not Confirmed or Withdrawn U.S. legislation related to the Supreme Court 1973 and later The Supreme Court and the Constitution 1912 More books about the Supreme Court…
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…
Sonia Sotomayor received a B.A. from Princeton University and a J.D. from Yale Law School where she served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. She served as Assistant District Attorney in New York County, then litigated international commercial matters in New York City at Pavia & Harcourt. President George H.W. Bush nominated her to…
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–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–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…