Author Archives: nategrefe

Sweatt v. Painter (1950)

 In Michael J. Klarman’s book From Jim Crow to Civil Rights (Oxford, 2004), he examines the Supreme Court case Sweatt v. Painter (1950) and its importance to the civil rights movement. Klarman studies not only the case itself, but also the social … Continue reading

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Buchanan v. Warley

Michael J. Klarman’s From Jim Crow to Civil Rights (Oxford, 2004) examines the Supreme Court decision in Buchanan v. Warley (1917) and finds that the case, which is often interpreted as a great step forward for racial equality, is actually … Continue reading

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Overturning Proposition 8: A Step Towards Equality

Columnist and Reverend Byron Williams shares his elation at the overturning of Proposition 8 in California by Judge Vaughn Walker, in his August 8, 2010 column in the Oakland Tribune. Proposition 8 had placed a ban on gay marriage in the state … Continue reading

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Where Does The Power Lie: Patrick Henry Speech of June 7, 1788 vs. Federalist No. 39

One of the most important issues during the debate over the ratification of the Constitution was the question of where and how power would be allocated. In Federalist No. 39 James Madison articulated the Federalist view that the new nation … Continue reading

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Gouverneur Morris: The Charming Nationalist

Gouverneur Morris was a delegate from Pennyslvania who participated in the Second Constitutional Convention. Richard Beeman introduces Morris in his book, Plain, Honest Men: The Making of The American Consitution, as an intelligent and oratorically gifted man. Born into wealth … Continue reading

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