A review of the constitutional promises to black people, early congressional efforts to fulfill these promises, early court cases construing the Fourteenth Amendment and the impact of these decisions along with their subsequent overruling. (Author/JB)

In 1951 Robert Russa Moton High School in Prince Edward County, Virginia was typical of the all-black schools in the central Virginia county. It housed twice as many students as it was built for in 1939, its teachers were paid less than teachers at the all-white high school, and it had no gymnasium, cafeteria, or auditorium with fixed seats. In…

Considers who was intended to have civil rights under the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Suggests that broad and inclusive historical analysis reveals individual citizens as the intended beneficiaries. Argues that the founders established a constitutional framework flexible enough to function in the transition from patriarchy and…

This annotated bibliography focuses on the constitutional role of Oklahoma by highlighting the constitutionally significant cases that arose during the territorial period and after statehood. The intention is to bring important constitutional issues closer to home, and thereby create an appreciation for the Constitution as a vital, living…

The Constitution is a living document whose meaning was not fixed forever at the Philadelphia Convention. Focuses on the slavery compromise and the Fourteenth Amendment to demonstrate defects of the document and its promising evolution through 200 years of American history. (PS)

Argues that the philosophical context noted in Haynes's "How Skewed Is 'The Bell Curve,'" is incomplete; that the Constitution does not treat blacks the same as whites; and that not enough cultural and social context was addressed. The authors characterize the "The Bell Curve" as a wrecking ball for dismantling social programs…

The U. S. Constitution's treatment of women and blacks is generating heated controversy among historians, with some scholars charging that its framers ignored those groups and that subsequent reformers have gained too little for them, too late. (MSE)

Discusses attempts to restrict applications of the First Amendment and weaken constitutionally supported rights, such as those of blacks, workers, women, and crime suspects. Explores theoretical bases of those attempts in the theory of original intent of the Constitution, theory of the inherent power of the president, and concept of New…

Questions whether the American constitutional order is capable of accommodating an equal citizenship for Blacks. Maintains that the inequality of condition that Black Americans endure is rooted in social as much as in legal practice. Improving the situation requires individual accountability on the part of Blacks. (PS)

Presents an interview by National Endowment for the Humanities chairman, Sheldon Hackney, with historian John Higham on multiculturalism and national identity. Contends that the centrifugal forces of national, ethnic, and religious diversity need countervailing forces to hold the nation together. (CFR)

Reviews constitutional principles and case law in three areas of U.S. society where black Americans have made efforts to effect change. Specific changes are for fairness in education, the abolition of capital punishment, and the prohibition of discrimination against the poor. (JDH)

In April 1917, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war on Germany. Under the powers granted to it by the U.S. Constitution, Congress passed the Selective Service Act of 1917. Among the first regiments to arrive in France, and among the most highly decorated when it returned, was the 369th Infantry, more gallantly known as the…

Discusses the background, legal issues, and significance of the Supreme Court decision, "Loving v. Virginia" (1967). Outlines the history of laws against interracial marriage throughout U.S. history. Asserts that interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, applying federal civil rights to the states, was a key factor in the case. (CFR)

Maintains that the expansion of voting rights to African Americans and women is an appropriate topic for Social Studies courses. Discusses suffrage in New York state between 1848 and 1920. Includes a table depicting the women's suffrage campaign in New York state and a list of other resources on the topic. (CFR)