Harris County Law Library Offers 19th Amendment Centennial Symposium to All

For Immediate Release
August 14, 2020

The Harris County Law Library announces a virtual 19th Amendment Centennial Symposium on Tuesday, August 18, from 2pm to 4pm. The event, titled “Votes for Texas Women,” will focus on the history of women’s suffrage and the importance of inclusion in law and government.

“We are thrilled to offer this educational opportunity to everyone on the 100th anniversary of the day the 19th Amendment was ratified,” Law Library Director Mariann Sears said. “We hope that sharing the stories from the historical and legal texts of the brave women who fought for the right to vote by protesting and reaching out to their representatives, even as the 1918 pandemic raged on, can connect more people with the rich history surrounding the amendment.”

Mariann Sears, the first woman to serve as director of the Law Library, will welcome three distinguished women from the local legal community to share their expertise. Marie Jamison, a partner at Wright Close & Barger, will share her research into the history of the 19th Amendment and the progress made in the century that followed. Professor Renee Knake Jefferson, the Joanne and Larry Doherty Chair in Legal Ethics Director at University of Houston Law Center and author of Shortlisted: Women in the Shadows of the Supreme Court, will discuss her research concerning the overlooked history of the nine women who were shortlisted for nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, but not nominated between the 1930s and 1980s. Justice Frances Bourliot, Fourteenth Court of Appeals Texas, will discuss the importance of inclusion on the bench and her experience as an appellate justice.

“The passage of the 19th Amendment, which prohibited denying a person the right to vote on the basis of sex, was an important step toward protecting voting rights in America,” County Attorney Vince Ryan said. “We are pleased with the Law Library’s efforts to celebrate the legacy of women’s suffrage and the contributions of women in law and government over the last century.”

Registration is now open and free to all at https://www.harriscountylawlibrary.org/19thamendment. The program is accredited by the State Bar of Texas for 2.0 hours of continuing legal education credit with 1.0 hour of ethics credit. In addition to the Harris County Attorney’s Office, this Law Library program is made possible with the support of the Houston Bar Association, League of Women Voters of Houston, and Women of Law.

About the Harris County Law Library

The Harris County Law Library opened in 1915 and has continued to serve Harris County’s legal information needs for more than a century. After joining the Office of Vince Ryan, Harris County Attorney, in 2011, the Law Library greatly expanded its technology offerings and services to the public. Ryan’s support for the revitalization of the Law Library was recognized by the American Association of Law Libraries in 2016 when he was named the Law Library Advocate of the Year. To learn more about services and digital collections, visit the Harris County Law Library Virtual Reference Desk at https://www.harriscountylawlibrary.org.

Americans With Disabilities Act at 30

Image by pixabay.com/users/renma-3345397/

Image by pixabay.com/users/renma-3345397/

Legend has it that a radical group of young disabled activists, known as the Rolling Quads, took to the streets of Berkeley, California, in the early 1970s to create, alongside their attendants, cut curb access for wheelchairs. They smashed existing curbs with sledgehammers and poured concrete ramps to create DIY cutaways on heavily traveled street corners in and around the UC Berkeley campus. Like all good legends, the details of the story are part fact and part fiction -- the myth of midnight commandos wielding hammers and concrete is probably a bit exaggerated -- but the folklore surrounding this spirited group of determined activists only helps solidify their reputation today as pioneers in the civil rights movement for people with disabilities.

Catalysts like the Rolling Quads (which included Ed Roberts and Hale Zukas) and many other disability rights advocates fought for legislation throughout the 1960s and 1970s that would protect the interests of people with disabilities in achieving equality, opportunity, justice, and inclusion. The efforts of these determined individuals led ultimately to the passage on the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990.

Sunday marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Act, and in recognition of the occasion, the Harris County Law Library is providing a list of recommended resources that explore the history of disability rights in this country, the impact of the ADA during its first 30 years, and the ongoing role it plays in ensuring equal access for all people. Additional links of interest are included at the end.  

HISTORY

FUTURE

VOICES

  • Demystifying Disability – Call Your Girlfriend (Podcast)

    • Two writers who also both have physical disabilities describe the planning and preparation in their daily lives and provide resources for people without disabilities who want to learn more and grow as allies and friends.

  • After 30 Years, How Has The ADA Helped You? – NPR

    • Morning Edition wants to collect stories from people within the disability community about how the legislation has impacted their lives — however generally or specifically. Stories could be used on air or online.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964

Civil Rights Act of 1964.jpg

Today, July 2, we celebrate the 56th anniversary of the signing into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This landmark legislation was the result of a steadfast campaign by NAACP lobbyist Clarence Mitchell in pursuit of racial justice through the legislative process and was originally proposed by President John F. Kennedy. It prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in the workplace, public facilities, public education, and public accommodations. However, before its becoming law, the bill faced an uphill battle and launched what is widely regarded as the longest continuous debate in Senate history. The filibuster, which lasted for 60 days, including seven Saturdays, ended on June 10 when the Senate voted 71 to 29 to end the debate. Nine days later, the Senate passed the most comprehensive civil rights legislation in United States history. Less than one month later, President Lyndon B. Johnson, joined by Martin Luther King, Jr., signed the legislation into law on July 2 in a nationally televised broadcast.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which amended the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and the Civil Rights Act of 1960, called for, among other things, the desegregation of public facilities and public education, and prohibited discrimination in federally assisted programs. The Act also guaranteed equal employment opportunities for all persons, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency tasked with the prevention of unlawful employment practices, was also a product of this legislation.

Clarence Mitchell and Roy Wilkins of the NAACP

The Civil Rights Act would not exist today if it weren't for the supporters and lobbyists whose steadfast efforts were so instrumental in the passage of this groundbreaking legislation. Two individuals deserve recognition for their exceptional legislative efforts. Clarence Mitchell and Roy Wilkins, whose actions in the NAACP brought about the legislation's successful enactment, are remembered in the Library of Congress exhibit created for the 50th anniversary of its passage. Wilkins, the longest-serving NAACP leader, called the Act a “Magna Carta for the race, a splendid monument for the cause of human rights,” and Mitchell, nicknamed the "101st U.S. Senator,” described it as “a real showdown on civil rights.” Both men are profiled at the links below.

Another prominent NAACP member and leading civil rights figure, Medgar Evers, was killed at age 38 in 1963 and, therefore, did not live to see the passage of the Civil Rights Act that Mitchell and Wilkins worked so tirelessly to make a reality. Evers would be celebrating his 95th birthday today, July 2. His widow, Myrlie Evers, spoke with NPR on Wednesday about the legacy of her husband whose home state of Mississippi just voted to remove the Confederate insignia from its state flag.

Voices of the Era

In tribute to those who lived through the Civil Rights era, we’ve complied a list of resources that feature their voices and personal stories. At the links below, explore photographs and oral histories that document the experiences of people whose lives were impacted by the landmark legislation that was signed into law 56 years ago today.

We Applaud All Who Press For Justice

The promise of the legal system is stamped above the entryway of the U.S. Supreme Court: “Equal Justice Under Law.” Today, our law librarians applaud all who press to make that a reality and who seek to make the story told in the volumes on the Law Library’s shelves bend toward justice, just as Clarence Mitchell and Roy Wilkins did. We echo our colleagues at University of Houston Libraries and affirm our commitment to equity, inclusion, diversity, and anti-racist practices and our pledge to use our skills and resources to advance the sharing and production of knowledge for racial justice.