Mack and Brown-Nagin on "Race, Sexuality, Identity and the Roots of Feminist Legal Advocacy"

The second day of the AALS workshop on "Women Rethinking Equality" featured luncheon addresses by legal historians Kenneth Mack (Harvard) and Tomiko Brown-Nagin (UVa).  The theme was "Race, Sexuality, Identity and the Roots of Feminist Legal Advocacy."  

Professor Mack spoke about civil rights lawyer Pauli Murray (picture at right) and her development of a "Jane Crow" theory of gender discrimination.  Professor Mack is completing a book entitled Representing the Race: Creating the Civil Rights Lawyer, 1920-1955, to be published by Harvard University Press.

Professor Brown-Nagin shared her work on Constance Baker Motley, the civil rights lawyer, judge, and government leader.  In her public remarks, Judge Motley never acknowledged that she had experienced gender discrimination. Professor Brown-Nagin's work with Judge Motley's private papers reveal the Judge's awareness of gender inequality and its deleterious effects.  Professor Brown-Nagin is working on a biography of Judge Motley.  

In the film clip below, Judge Motley talks about how she first became interested in the law.

 

I'm interested in these two historical figures and the work of these two legal historians.  Looking forward to reading both forthcoming books!