MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: The Damon J. Keith Law Collection of African American Legal History at Wayne State University Law School is pleased to announce a dedication ceremony for the new, interactive version of the exhibit Marching Toward Justice: The History of the Fourteenth Amendment. Judge Damon J. Keith and exhibit curator Robert L. Smith will give remarks. Special guests include students from Detroit's Cody High School.

WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 17, 9:00 a.m.

WHERE: Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, Wayne State University Law School, 471 W. Palmer, Detroit

MORE INFO: Commissioned by the Keith Law Collection, the exhibit gives a thorough account, through images and text, of the history of the Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, which guaranteed equal rights and liberties under the Constitution to all U.S. citizens, defined as anyone born or naturalized in the United States.

The exhibit is permanently housed in the lobby of the Keith Center and examines issues including the beginning of slavery in the United States in the early 1600s, the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Civil Rights activism of the 1950s and 60s. Interactive, touch-screen monitors allow visitors to delve deeper into history and explore specific topics like the Colonial Period and the Expansion of Slavery, New Black Leaders: Organizations and Philosophies, and Equal Under Law: the Enforcement of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. The exhibit also has historical artifacts on display including an actual manifest of slaves on board the ship Florida, c. 1850, and an Alabama slave bill of sale from 1829. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

"I am thrilled that public schoolchildren will have an opportunity to learn about the work of civil rights giants like Thurgood Marshall and Charles Hamilton Houston. These pioneers were my mentors and committed to actualizing ‘equal justice under law,'" said Judge Keith. After touring the exhibit and watching a civil rights documentary, the students will have the opportunity to ask Judge Keith questions.

"We are excited to welcome this first classroom visit," said I. India Geronimo, Keith Collection Director and Keith Center Civil Rights Lecturer. "It's a tremendous opportunity to engage local schoolchildren in civil rights education and create a pipeline for them to enter the law school environment."

The Damon J. Keith Law Collection of African American Legal History at Wayne State University Law School was created to record the history of African American lawyers and judges and is housed in the Keith Center for Civil Rights at Wayne Law. The Keith Center, which celebrated its grand opening on Oct. 19, 2011, honors the life and legacy of Judge Keith by carrying out his vision for civil rights through active programs of legal studies, community engagement, and public lectures by prominent civil rights leaders.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering more than 400 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 32,000 students.

For more information about Wayne State University Law School, visit law.wayne.edu.