Handwritten letter from ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen to William Lamson asking Lamson if he has copies of the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) race figures for 1981-1983 and 1985.
ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen writes to William Lamson requesting a first draft of a report and to alert him that depositions are now scheduled for September 18-20, 1984. Hansen writes that Lamson should be present at this round of depositions and they will discuss the matter further.
ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen writes to William Lamson to express his gratitude for working on the case. Hansen thanks Lamson on behalf of the class of Black school children in Topeka and writes that he feels the team presented a strong case that Topeka schools have never been fully desegregated and he expects a ruling sometime in early 1985.
ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen sends William Lamson the order of activities for the case between December 1985 and March 1986. Also attached is the designation of fact witnesses by individually-named defendants associated with the State Board of Education.
ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen writes to Robert Longman of Central Surveys Inc. to confirm a pre-test survey. Mr. Hansen gives background on the case and talks more specifically about the two questions he wants answered in the survey about Topeka residents' perception of whether schools are white or Black and if some schools are less adequate.
ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen writes to Lead Defense Attorney K. Gary Sebelius to outline a possible settlement for the case since the court has again pushed the date of the trial back. Mr. Hansen lists the principles on which a settlement would have to be based, including community involvement in any plans for the district.
This letter from ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen to lead defense Attorney Gary K. Sebelius and Kansas Assistant Attorney General Dan Biles confirms deposition dates for June 7, 8, and 11, 1984, with a completion date of June 12. Hansen notes that formal notice of deposition will be served and a court reporter will be in the depositions.
ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen writes to Elvia Rosales Arriola of the ACLU, William Lamson, Attorney Richard Jones, and Attorney William Rich to send an update on the round of depositions he completed. He also attached superintendent's and principal's annual reports for each school that he obtained on his recent trip to Topeka.
ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen writes to Elvia Rosales Arriola of the ACLU and William Lamson to outline the discovery schedule for the Brown III case. The schedule runs from July 15, 1984 to January 15, 1985 and includes depositions, due dates for interrogatories, tours of sites, and pre-trial orders.
ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen writes to plaintiff expert witnesses Dr. Gordon Foster, William Lamson, Hugh Spear, and Bob Crain to inform them that dates and witness lists did not change after his appearance before the judge in early December. Attached is an early draft of findings of facts that he has shared with the defense.
ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen writes to Dr. Gordon Foster and William Lamson to inform them that he is unavailable for the requested meeting date of June 13th, 1985, but can meet on June 20th instead. Dr. Foster and Lamson were to meet with the plaintiff team about their roles as expert witnesses in the Brown III case.
ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen writes to the members of the Brown III Counsel team to inform them that Lee Henson of the Federal Community Relations Service has offered their service in the case. Mr. Hansen is suspicious of this because of his opinion of the Justice Department under then-president Ronald Reagan.
ACLU Attorney Chris Hansen writes to the members of the Brown Counsel team to inquire about their thoughts on a possible settlement. Attached is the court document containing the order of activities for the case between May and September 1986.
Letter from A. M. Clough requesting an interview with Monroe N. Work for the following day, Wednesday. Printed on "International Business Machines Corporation, Tabulating Machine Division" stationery.
A letter written by Charles G. Gomillion to Dr. C.W. Orr concerning Dr. Austin R. Meadows consideration for the Superintendent of Education of Macon County, AL.
A letter from Nuh Abdul Qaiyum, who is imprisoned, to his wife Frankye Adams-Johnson (Malika). He sends the family his love and shares his thoughts on life in prison and conflict within the Black community and the Black Panther Party. He asks her about her upcoming birth and offers guidance and advice. He also includes multiple poems.
In this letter, Frankye Adams-Johnson (Malika)’s husband, Nuh Abdul Qaiyum, who is imprisoned, outlines a training and education program for Black liberation. He outlines the goals and priorities of the Black Panther Party moving forward and the means required. Instead of the usual militant rhetoric, he takes a social approach to the Revolution.
Otis Galbreath was an artist from Jackson, MI. Let By-Gones be By-Gones shows a woman and a young boy sitting down in a room with wooden floors and plant barrels behind them. The woman sits in a rocking chair looking down to knit, while the boy sits across from her with a hand in his mouth. A green hat sits beside him.
A booklet written by Bernice Jones (aka Safiya Bukhari), who was a Black Panther Party member and vice president of the Republic of New Afrika. The booklet lists members of the Black Panther Party who were killed between 1966 and 1981. There is also a memorial write up and poem in the conclusion.
Leroy Smith was born in Jackson in 1918 and lived in Jackson his entire life. He attended Smith Robertson School until 6th grade and talks about his time there. He discusses the nightlife in the district beginning in the 1930s, including a number of restaurants, ballrooms, limited options to watch movies, and the red light district.
Leon Renfro’s bust is unique within the Texas Southern sculpture collection. It is one of only two busts made from a white plaster (as opposed to the standard terracotta material). The sculpture is also rather bare, lacking the intricate embellishments and ornamentation that are typical of the work of Carroll Harris Simms’ students.
Legislative acts in Florida addressing the Rosewood Massacre and setting the legal framework for compensation and historical investigation. These acts were designed to ensure the state recognized the tragedy, supported the documentation of its impact, and provided a pathway for descendants to seek justice and reparations.
This rare slavery document is a letter from 1834 between W. Ward and Cornelius Beazley regarding the debt due in return for the lending of their slaves' labor.
A rare 1856 letter from W. E. Boyd to John G. Johnson regarding the seven hundred and fifty dollar ($750) purchase of a fourteen-year-old negro girl named Harriet.
A newspaper article from The News Tribune about Lennox Hinds, president of the National Conference of Black Lawyers, being cited by The Ethics Committee of the Middlesex County Bar Association. Chief defense counsel William Kunstler, representing Assata Shakur (JoAnne Chesimard) in her trial for the 1973 killing of a state trooper, protested it.
This quilted textile by Debra Hanes is an homage to Dr. LaSalle D. Leffall, Jr., showing the highlights of his career and life. Prevalent in African American culture, this piece is a type of “life quilt”, as this colorful tapestry gives the viewer a glimpse into the doctor’s life with sewn-on prints of letters, magazine covers, and photographs.
Lee Williams was born in 1900, moved to the Farish Street District in 1915, and lived on various streets for the rest of his life. He attended Smith Robertson School. In the interview, Mr. Williams recounts the different businesses, people, and schools over the years in the district. The transcript contains handwritten edits.
Lee Williams became a homeowner in the Farish Street District in 1924. At the time of the interview he was Vice President for Administration at Jackson State. Mr. Williams discusses a variety of aspects about the district in relation to his time growing up there, including childhood activities and the different jobs he did.
