The United States Supreme Court has made it nearly impossible to prove that a particular law is racially discriminatory. Under the standards the Court established in the 1970s, archival materials are the only available evidentiary sources that can be used to prove discriminatory intent behind the enactment of criminal and civil laws. Although the proof lies in the historical record, it has yet to be fully utilized in this manner. Focusing her discussion on crime control policies enacted in the 1980s and 1990s, Elizabeth Hinton will explore opportunities within archives to combat racial discrimination and advance social justice through the law.

Elizabeth Hinton is Professor of History, African American Studies, and Law at Yale University. Her research focuses on the persistence of poverty, racial inequality, and urban violence in the 20th century United States. Professor Hinton’s first book, From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America was published by Harvard University Press in 2017. Her recent book, America on Fire: The Untold History of Police Violence and Black Rebellion Since the 1960s (Liveright 2021), won a Robert F. Kennedy book award.

Date: Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Time: 4 pm

Location: Bunche Hall 6275

Light refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP before Friday, January 5.