Louisiana Supreme Court issued the following announcement on Feb. 14.
The Louisiana Supreme Court Justices and staff and Law Library of Louisiana will once again host special activities in observance of Black History Month. These educational outreach initiatives highlight the contributions of prominent African Americans to the field of law and recount these accomplishments through interaction with local school students and special informational publications and displays.
“During Black History Month, the Louisiana Supreme Court Justices and the Court’s staff, which includes the Law Library of Louisiana, will focus on the historic and significant contributions of several African Americans which have greatly impacted the history of the state and the nation,” stated Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice John L. Weimer. “In alignment with our ongoing civic educational initiatives, we will concentrate on educating students and the general public on how African American achievements are ingrained into the state’s legal history. As was done in 2021, the Louisiana Supreme Court will host students from Homer A. Plessy Community School for a book reading by the Justices, which will be digitally recorded and shared with elementary schools statewide by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Louisiana Department of Education. The reading will be followed by a Q&A session. My colleagues and I look forward to taking part in these upcoming observances and remembrances of those who sought to make the promise of the Declaration of Independence - that all are created equal - a reality.”
Miriam Childs, Director, Law Library of Louisiana, announced several additional educational outreach initiatives scheduled for February. They include four weekly special issues of the Law Library’s newsletter, De Novo, featuring Mr. Oscar J. Dunn (2/4/22), Homer A. Plessy (2/11/22), Reverend Avery C. Alexander (2/18/22), and Mr. Charles J. Hatfield (2/23/22). Other initiatives include a new library exhibit examining a court case on Louisiana Civil Rights legal representation by out-of-state counsel, and a recorded vignette commemorating Homer Plessy’s life arc and posthumous pardon. Educational outreach initiatives can be accessed on the Louisiana Supreme Court’s Press Room page under the Black History Month link.
For many years, the Supreme Court has hosted student and general public tours of the Court which often include meeting with one of the Justices. Additionally, Judges statewide continue to make visits to various schools throughout the state, both in person and virtually, as part of the “Judges in the Classroom/Students in the Courtroom” program. The upcoming visit by the students from Homer A. Plessy Community School to the Louisiana Supreme Court will mark the first visit by a group of students to the court in 2022. COVID-19 guidelines will be followed.
Original source can be found here.