Ruth Bader Ginsburg portraitRuth Bader Ginsburg Notes for oral arguments in Duren v. Missouri November 1, 1978Hearings 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 the United States July 20, 21, 22, and 23, 1993More Ruth Bader Ginsburg confirmation sourcesSupreme Court decisions written by Ruth Bader GinsburgJustice Ruth Bader … [Read more...]
Collection Spotlight: Sonia Sotomayor
March 13, 2017 by Leave a Comment
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 the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York in 1992. President Bill Clinton then nominated Sotomayor to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second … [Read more...]
Today in History: John Jay
December 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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 the links below to access related primary sources.John Jay, One of the Nation's Founding Fathers, Was Born from … [Read more...]
Today in History: Thurgood Marshall
October 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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 judge, Marshall was a top civil rights lawyer, most famous for his greatest victory in 1954 with the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Brown v. Board of … [Read more...]
Today in History: Reverdy Johnson
May 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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 History section, then follow the links below to access related primary … [Read more...]
Today in History: Plessy v. Ferguson
May 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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 case of Brown v. the Board of Education. Unfortunately, it would take even longer to … [Read more...]
Today in History: Carrie S. Burnham
April 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–April 4–the Library of Congress features Carrie S. Burnham, who continued to present her arguments before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on the right of women to vote on this day in 1873. Learn more about her appeal and the suffrage movement by visiting the Today in History section, then clicking the links below.The argument of Carrie S. Burnham before Chief Justice Reed, and Associate Justices Agnew, Sharswood and Mercur, of the Supreme court of Pennsylvania, in banc, on … [Read more...]
Today in History: Amistad Mutiny Survivors Released
March 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–March 9–the Library of Congress features the Amistad mutiny survivors, released on this day in 1841 by the Supreme Court. Former president John Quincy Adams successfully argued the case and the former captives eventually returned to Africa. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then clicking the links below to read Adams argument and access more primary sources and teaching resources related to this incident and slavery in the U.S.Amistad Mutiny Survivors … [Read more...]
Today in History: Salmon P. Chase
December 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–December 6–the Library of Congress features Salmon P. Chase, nominated as Supreme Court Chief Justice by President Abraham Lincoln on this day in 1864. Learn more about the architect of the first two clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment who also served as Governor of Ohio, a U.S. Senator, and Lincoln's secretary of the treasury, by visiting the Today in History section then check out the related resources below.Salmon P. Chase image set (includes numerous political … [Read more...]
Today in History: William Howard Taft
September 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Today in History–September 15–the Library of Congress features William Howard Taft, born on this day in 1857. Taft had a very active political career that included two of our country's highest posts, President and Supreme Court Chief Justice. Find out more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary sources about William H. Taft.William H. Taft inauguration primary source setWilliam H. Taft books and articlesWilliam H. Taft U.S. … [Read more...]
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