Originally published in Student Lawyer magazine, March 2004 (Vol. 32, No. 7). All rights reserved.

May 1 Law Day Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Brown Decision

Kenneth Gorton

Mark your calendars: May 1 is Law Day. With support from the ABA, legal professionals and law students celebrate Law Day by conducting community programs that celebrate the rule of law. This year's theme is "To Win Equality by Law: Brown v. Board at 50."

Few, if any, milestones in America's quest for equality are more important than the Supreme Court's 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, which not only struck down laws segregating public schools, but also made all Americans more aware of the constitutional promise of equality. Law Day 2004 celebrates the 50th anniversary of this historic case.

The ABA encourages students, either on their own or in partnership with other legal groups, to organize programs in local schools on Law Day highlighting the importance of equality by law, and the role of legal cases such as Brown in establishing and protecting people's rights. Among the possibilities are mock trial or moot court competitions, mentoring programs, essay contests, and poster competitions.

"Law Day is the only day dedicated to the rule of law and the essential role law plays in the democratic adventure," says Charlie White, editor of the Law Day Planning Guide. The guide is a free ABA publication that gives readers ideas on how they can plan Law Day events in their communities. It appears on the ABA Law Day web site, www.abanet.org/publiced/lawday, or order free copies by calling 800-285-2221 and asking for product code 370-0370.

At the Law Day web site, the ABA also provides detailed resources for law students who want to start such projects and contact information for students searching for existing programs.