Law and Racism

Catalog description

To analyze the effectiveness of lawyers and the legal process in providing relief for victims of contemporary racial injustice, the course reviews the development of American law bearing on racial issues from the introduction of slavery to the present. Court decisions, statutes, and appropriate writings are used to trace the change in status of blacks from slaves to citizens and then review their continuing efforts to eliminate racist policies in voting, public accommodations, interracial sex and marriage and the administration of justice. Special attention is given to the major areas of education, housing and employment discrimination. Students working in one or two-person "law firms" will prepare and present arguments in support of currently important, albeit hypothetical, legal problems. A written term paper is required.