Does a Texas law that criminalizes sexual intimacy by same-sex couples violate the Fourteenth Amendment? This case summary shows how the Supreme Court answered that question in 2003.
Civic Action and Change (Lesson Plan and Powerpoint)
Students explore examples of civic action and change by looking at the efforts in four movements in the 20th century; women’s rights, disability awareness, Native American rights, and migrant worker rights. Through these examples, student will describe the process of civic action through the I AM chart (Inform, Act, Maintain).
A Conversation on the Importance of the Yick Wo Case
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy discusses the landmark ruling in Yick Wo v. Hopkins (1886) in which the Supreme Court decided that the Fourteenth Amendment provides “equal protection of the laws” for noncitizens. This video complements the documentary Yick Wo and the Equal Protection Clause.
A Conversation on Brown v. Board of Education
Supreme Court Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Sandra Day O’Connor and Anthony M. Kennedy discuss with high school students this landmark case that ended racial segregation in schools. They explore the background of the case, the role of Thurgood Marshall, how Brown v. Board of Education was decided, and the events following the unanimous ruling that said that “separate education facilities are inherently unequal.” A PDF lesson plan accompanies this video.
Patriotism Crosses the Color Line: African Americans in World War II
Professor Clarence Taylor reminds us of the role African American soldiers played in the conflict—and the role their military service played in shaping the racial politics that followed in peacetime. This essay helps us appreciate the complexity of mobilization for modern warfare and drive home the impact of events on the world stage upon domestic affairs. Free registration for students and teachers required to access resource.
African American Religious Leadership and the Civil Rights Movement
The modern Civil Rights Movement was the most important social protest movement of the twentieth century. People who were locked out of the formal political process due to racial barriers were able to mount numerous campaigns over three decades to eradicate racial injustice and in the process transform the nation. In its greatest accomplishment, the Civil Rights Movement successfully eliminated the American apartheid system popularly known as Jim Crow. Registration is required to view this resource. Free registration for students and teachers required to access resource.
Jim Crow Wisdom: Memory and Identity in Black America Since 1940
James Basker & Johnathan Holloway discuss the novel written by Mr. Holloway, Jim Crow Wisdom: Memory & Identity in Black America Since 1940.
America at the End of the 20th Century, Part 1
James T. Patterson, historian at Brown University, discusses the end of the 20th century, focusing on the changes in the United States from Watergate to Bush v. Gore.
Brown v. Board of Education and its Effects on Civil Rights
Larry Kramer, former Dean of Stanford Law School and constitutional scholar, discusses Brown v. Board of Education and its effect on civil rights, and the question of resolving segregation.
The Legal History of Desegregation
Pulitzer prize winning historian Jack Rakove of Stanford discusses the legal history of desegregation, focusing on the analytical problems facing the struggle for desegregation.