Professor Jeffrey Sikkenga looks at the legal debate over affirmative action and how to enforce recognition of equality among U.S. citizens. He examines particularly court cases related to affirmative action polices, including the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court cases Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger.
To listen to this lecture, scroll to session six, and select the RealAudio link to the left.
Professor Ken Masugi follows the establishment of the doctrine of "separate but equal" and its opposition and eventual downfall from a legal perspective. He examines particularly the 1896 Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson and the 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education.
To listen to this lecture, scroll to session five, and select the RealAudio link to the left.
Professor Ken Masugi examines the 1856 U.S. Supreme Court case Dred Scott v. Sandford, in which the slave Dred Scott argued that, as he had lived and worked in both a free state and a free territory, he was now legally free. The case was decided against Scott, ruling that no African American could be a citizen and that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories. Masugi uses the case to look at the Court and Constitution's use and role in the Civil War.
To listen to this lecture, scroll to session four, and select the RealAudio link to the left.
Professor Jeffrey Sikkenga looks at the 1819 U.S. Supreme Court case McCulloch v. Maryland, in which a cashier of the Baltimore branch of the Second National Bank of the United States petitioned against the state of Maryland for obstructing the functioning of that bank. Sikkenga looks at how the decision against Maryland, under Chief Justice John Marshall, established the Constitution as the basis of justice in the U.S.
To listen to this lecture, scroll to session three, and select the Real Audio link to the left of the main text.
Professor Jeffrey Sikkenga describes the Marshall Court—that is, the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Marshall (served from 1801 to 1835), who, as Chief Justice, established the authority of the Court to declare void laws that violate the U.S. Constitution and to, thus, interpret the Constitution. Sikkenga examines particularly the 1803 case Marbury v. Madison.
To listen to this lecture, scroll to session two, and select the RealAudio link to the left of the main body of text.
Professor Ken Masugi looks at the functioning of the Supreme Court. He then examines the 1952 Supreme Court Case Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company v. Sawyer, in which the steel company Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. petitioned that President Harry Truman exceeded his presidential powers by instructing Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer to seize control of the U.S. steel industry, under wartime powers.
To listen to this lecture, scroll to session one, and select the RealAudio link to the left of the main body of text.
This lecture provides a narrative account of the rapid migration to and development of California during the Gold Rush years, from 1849 through 1884. It describes the wild scramble for profit, exploitation of resources, and relative lawlessness during the early years, while also emphasizing the role of farmers in the Gold Rush—first as supporters of the miners, and then in conflict with the miners.
To listen to this lecture, scroll to "Like America Only More So: The Origins and Power of California's Image," and select "Listen to Broadcast."
The buildings include the old 1731 Courthouse, 1731 Clerk's Office, and 1814 prison. The complex is distinguished by original fittings and furnishings. The Clerk's Office contains legal records dating from 1632.
The site offers exhibits.
The Police Heritage Museum presents the history of the police force through the display of artifacts and historic records of police officers, their departments, and the techniques and equipment they used to combat crime and preserve peace and order in their communities.
The museum offers online virtual exhibits, on-site exhibits, and guided tours.
The Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices are within the only remaining building in which Abraham Lincoln maintained a law office. The site consists of the surviving portion of a three-story brick commercial block constructed in 184041. The restored building's first-floor visitor center consists of an exhibit gallery and audiovisual theater, along with a room interpreted as an 1840s post office facility. On the second floor are rooms representing those used by the federal court, and on the third floor a "common room" and three lawyers' offices. Two of the offices were used by Lincoln and his partners, prominent local attorneys Herndon and Stephen T. Logan. The recreated offices are notable for the plainness and disorder that were remembered by Lincoln associates.
The site offers exhibits, a short film, and tours.