The 14th Amendment: A Living Document

 

When it first passed 150 years ago, the 14th Amendment, one of the “Reconstruction Amendments,” sought to clarify the relationship between the federal government and the states with regards to equality, citizenship, and liberty. The most litigated amendment, it has been cited in some of our most critical Supreme Court cases, including Plessy v. Ferguson (18 May 1896, which enshrined “separate but equal”), Brown v. Board of Education (17 May 1954, which dismantled “separate but equal”), Griswold v. Connecticut (07 Jun 1965, which created a “right to privacy”), Loving v. Virginia (12 Jun 1967, which permitted interracial marriage), and Obergefell v. Hodges (26 June 2015, which permitted same-sex marriage).

What is the historical context in which the amendment was written and passed? How has it influenced American life, over time and in the present day? Come explore the history and present-day relevance of this living amendment with nationally recognized scholars Kenneth Mack, Harvard University; David Blight, Yale University; and Danielle Conway University of Maine School of Law.

This event will take place June 1st from 5:30-7:30 PM at Rines Auditorium at Portland Public Library, but will also be streaming remotely in LPL’s 1st floor Jeanne Couture Room. This free public forum on the 14th Amendment is sponsored by the Maine Humanities Council, in partnership with the University of Maine School of Law and the Portland Public Library.

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For more information, please visit the Maine Humanities Council website, or contact the LPL Adult and Teen Services Department at 513-3135 or LPLReference@gmail.com.