On Oct. 26, 2001, President George W. Bush signed the USA PATRIOT Act, giving authorities unprecedented ability to search, seize, detain or eavesdrop in their pursuit of possible terrorists. If you’re interested in more details, read this excerpt from Professor Michael Roffer’s new book, The Law Book: From Hammurabi to the International Criminal Court, 250 […]

Twenty-five years ago, on July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 101 Pub. L. No. 336, 104 Stat. 327.  The ADA is one of America’s most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation and its impact on American society has been undeniable.  It prohibits discrimination against people with […]

Celebrating Black History Month has always taken on special significance at NYLS, particularly when you consider how closely entwined our community is with African American heritage. Consider, for example, our connection to the historical publication of Freedom’s Journal. Freedom’s Journal, founded in 1827 to provide a voice against racism and intolerance, was the first newspaper published […]

Constitution Week was first established in 1956 to encourage Americans to learn more about the world’s longest surviving written charter of government.   Later in 2004, Constitution Day was created to encourage public schools and governmental offices to promote a better understanding of the Constitution. As a day of education about, and celebration of, our constitutional […]

Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May), and we hope you all found at least some time to celebrate and enjoy the day amidst all the hard-core studying. Often mistaken for a celebration of Mexican independence, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s victory in the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War.  […]

In 1958, President Eisenhower designated May 1 “Law Day, USA.”  Law Day celebrates the rule of law and its contributions to Americans’ many freedoms. Law Day 2014 is especially significant as we approach the fiftieth anniversaries of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  The theme for this year’s […]

In observance of the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on November 22, 1963, the U.S. Government Printing Office has made the official, digital version of the Warren Commission Report available on FDsys, the Federal Digital System housing electronic government documents. The Warren Commission was created by President Lyndon Johnson to investigate the […]

May 17 marks the anniversary of the unanimous 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education. Prior to Brown, many parts of the United States permitted segregation in public education based on the principle of ‘separate but equal,’ a doctrine based on the longstanding decision in Plessy v. Ferguson.  Brown brought together cases […]

On March 18, 1963, the Supreme Court handed down the decision in Gideon v. Wainwright, a case that made significant changes to the face of criminal law in the United States. Charged with breaking and entering into a Florida pool hall, Clarence Earl Gideon could not afford an attorney. After being convicted and sentenced to […]

Freedom’s Journal, founded in 1827 to provide a voice against racism and intolerance, was the first newspaper published in the United States by and for African-Americans.  A number of sources place its home at 236 Church Street, which is today encompassed by NYLS’ 57 Worth Street building. This neighborhood was home to a large number […]