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Civil rights, human rights, racial justice law, and advocacy

Transitional Justice Mechanisms in the United States

This inaugural report, prepared by students in Howard Law Professor Darin Johnson's Spring 2023 semester of the International Criminal Law and Transitional Justice seminar, focuses on Transitional Justice Mechanisms in the United States. The report was created to provide the Office of Global Criminal Justice (GCJ) at the U.S. State Department and the global community with a better understanding of the range of transitional justice mechanisms being undertaken in the United States.

Transitional Justice Report

Reimagining Traffic Stops

Traffic stops are one of the most common ways that people encounter the U.S. legal system. And like all policing interactions, traffic stops are known to disproportionately impact communities of color. If we want to reduce — and eventually end — police violence, municipalities can begin by removing police from traffic stops.

Reimagining Traffic Stops

Inside Prince George's County Bond Hearings: Analysis, Findings, and Recommendations

In-person court observation have long been established as the sole method of access to public trials, supported by the First Amendment. However, the COVID-19 pandemic made court proceedings much . . .

Howard Law Movement Lawyering Clinic Work to Push PG County Courts to Continue …

Read our Reports

Read our reports including the End of Year Report, The Contradiction of Colorblind COVID-19 Relief, Banning the Caged Bird: Prison Book Censorship Across America, Reparations 2022 Conference Report and other publications

Read Our Reports

Classes, Clinics & Student Opportunities

From Critical Race Theory to the Movement Lawyering Clinic to the Justice Initiatives, there are opportunities for students to engage in legal scholarship for social justice. 

Learn more about the Justice Initiative and other student resources

Amicus Briefs

The Center along with students at the Movement Lawyering Clinic filed amicus curiae briefs to the Supreme Court and other judiciaries. We filed on behalf of DeRay McKesson, a BLM protester; Sundiata Acoli, a political prisoner; Marcus Mitchell, a Dakota Pipeline protester; and more. 

Read Our Amicus Briefs

Join the Movement

Learn about our coalitions and campaigns for social change including the campaign to exonerate Marcus Garvey. 

Learn more about the Justice for Garvey campaign

Fight for Justice

Learn about our legal actions, filings in court, and organizing of legal representation in support of movements. For example, we helped to get the Helping Families Heal Act introduced in Congress, in collaboration with Mike Brown's mother's foundation.

Learn about recently introduced legislation

Human Rights Advocacy

Learn about our local, national, and global advocacy. For example, students in the clinic helped to present an indictment in a people's tribunal marking the 70th Anniversary of We Charge Genocide.  

Learn about We Charge Genocide Tribunal 2021

Civil Rights at the Local & Community Level

Learn about our engagement with local and community efforts towards reparations, environmental justice, ending police violence, abolishing mass incarceration and other social justice issues. 

Learn more about Reparations

Engage with us through events, actions and activities

In order to effectively fight for our people we must think globally and act locally. Our events and activities provide an opportunity to make the connections.

Past events with the the United Nations & People of African Descent

Connect with us on social media

Follow us on Twitter & Subscribe to our YouTube @HU_TMCRC. We are currently seeking volunteers to support our social media presence. If you want to help us get the word out, let us know!

Fill out the contact form - comment "help with social media"

Head, Hands, Heart

We seek to obtain the goal of racial justice by using a human rights framework and a social movement centered approach. We use our heads, our hands, and our hearts to make a difference:

  • HEAD: engaged research when fighting the battle of ideas in the ivory tower;
  • HANDS: movement lawyering when fighting for our rights in the courts, the Congress, and other halls of power; and
  • HEARTS: community organizing when fighting to build power in the communities where our people live out their lives.

With commitments in the ivory tower, courthouse, Congress, and the community, we hope to serve as a connector that bring out the best in both worlds, all in the service of the movement.

We believe that:

  • Real, lasting social change requires collaboration between law, organizing, and research in service of community-led movements.
  • In order to effectively fight for our people we must think globally and act locally.
  • All communities should be freed from the systemic racism that undermines freedom and equal justice in our country.

Professor Crichton stops by the Center

Our work at the Center would not be possible without volunteers who are passionate about human rights, civil rights and justice.  Many thanks to all the faculty, attorneys, staff, students and friends who have helped us to accomplish everything we do. Find out today how you can get involved and contribute to the work. 

Learn how to get involved...

Nse, Charkera & Billi at ISH

Each semester, the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center hosts and co-hosts a myriad of events. Charkera Ervin and others came together this Juneteenth to discuss an array of topics from human rights advocacy to charging genocide at home and abroad. Students and speakers were able to grasp what it takes to have true freedom and to be true advocates for a cause.

Learn more about the events at the Center...

In the News

December 01, 2023

2023 Ben vinson iii examines CWRU, - Oritonek

Oritonek

November 22, 2023

9th Annual C. Clyde Ferguson Symposium Tickets, Thu, Jan 25, 2024 at 11:00 AM - Eventbrite

Eventbrite

November 17, 2023

How Long Is Law School and What Is it Like? - U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report

November 15, 2023

Baltimore's failure to educate Black children is a threat to building Black political power - The Real News Network

The Real News Network

November 14, 2023

9th Annual C. Clyde Ferguson Symposium, Howard University School of Law Moot Court Room, Washington, January ... - AllEvents.in

AllEvents.in

November 02, 2023

Law Professor Justin Hansford on Rock Newman Show 2.0 - YouTube

YouTube

October 23, 2023

Lessons from The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated | CUNY LAW REVIEW - CUNY Law Review

CUNY Law Review

October 20, 2023

The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated – Panel Discussion - Center for Constitutional Rights

Center for Constitutional Rights

October 13, 2023

Anyone can be a journalist, and a journalist can come from anywhere - The Real News Network

The Real News Network

October 10, 2023

Silis Muhammad At Reparations Convention: We Want Reparations Paid To New Black Government, Not Individuals - Moguldom

Moguldom

September 30, 2023

Share 145+ human rights logo images latest - highschoolcanada.edu.vn - highschoolcanada.edu.vn

highschoolcanada.edu.vn

September 28, 2023

American leaders advancing the SDGs: Multigenerational urgency and innovation at the midpoint | Brookings - Brookings Institution

Brookings Institution

September 28, 2023

Affirmative Action after SFFA: Is the US in Violation of International Human Rights Law? - Harvard University

Harvard University

September 28, 2023

Monthly Reparations Strategy Session – September 2023: Linda Mann, Co-Founder of the African American Redress ... - FirstRepair

FirstRepair

September 26, 2023

Alexandria Community Remembrance Project: Public Programs | City of Alexandria, VA - City of Alexandria, VA (.gov)

City of Alexandria, VA (.gov)

September 25, 2023

Reflecting on Marcus Garvey's Legacy in the 21st Century - The Hilltop Online

The Hilltop Online

September 24, 2023

Details more than 134 human rights logo images super hot - Camera.edu.vn

Camera.edu.vn

September 24, 2023

Dominican Republic: for 10 years now, thousands of people are still deprived of their nationality - RFK Human Rights

RFK Human Rights

September 24, 2023

República Dominicana: desde hace 10 años, miles de personas continúan privadas de su nacionalidad - RFK Human Rights

RFK Human Rights

September 18, 2023

Take our 5-Year Impact Survey! ⏰ Learn how our work has shaped you. | Decolonizing Wealth Project posted on the topic - LinkedIn

LinkedIn

September 17, 2023

Our Shared Struggle: The International Imperative for Repair - YouTube

YouTube

September 07, 2023

Affirmative Action after SFFA: Is the US in Violation of International Human Rights Law? - Harvard Law School | Human ... - Human Rights @ Harvard Law

Human Rights @ Harvard Law

September 06, 2023

Why the ruling class attacks Black literacy, and how to fight back - The Real News Network

The Real News Network

September 05, 2023

Joe Biden Addresses White Supremacy, Book Bans, Civil Rights at Lawyers' Committee Anniversary - The Hilltop Online

The Hilltop Online

July 26, 2023

National Reparations Convention 2023 | October 07, 2023 - October 08, 2023 - EventCreate

EventCreate

February 12, 2023

Misogyny – Scottie's Playtime - scottiesplaytime.com

scottiesplaytime.com

January 18, 2023

Blog | CUNY LAW REVIEWCUNY LAW REVIEW - CUNY Law Review

CUNY Law Review

January 29, 2021

Battleground Baltimore – The Real News Network - The Real News Network

The Real News Network

September 06, 2020

National Black Cultural Information Trust - Bio For Facebook

Bio For Facebook

August 05, 2020

Kristine Pashin - Teaching Fellow - Stanford University - LinkedIn

LinkedIn

June 10, 2020

Epsy Campbell - Presidenta - Foro Permanente sobre los Afrodescendientes | LinkedIn - LinkedIn

LinkedIn

May 30, 2020

AFRICOM Watch Bulletin — The Black Alliance for Peace - The Black Alliance for Peace

The Black Alliance for Peace

April 29, 2020

Jasmine Marchbanks-Owens - Research Assistant - Howard University School of Law - LinkedIn

LinkedIn

December 12, 2019

Events — SDSN USA - SDSN USA

SDSN USA

April 13, 2019

Issabella Romo - Communications & Engagement Intern - The Commonwealth Club of California - LinkedIn

LinkedIn

March 31, 2019

Charkera Ervin - Human Rights Counsel- Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, Office of Justin Hansford ... - LinkedIn

LinkedIn

June 29, 2018

Decolonizing Wealth Project - Bio For Facebook

Bio For Facebook

June 25, 2018

Arianna Chen - Research Assistant for Prof. Dorothy Brown - Georgetown University Law Center - LinkedIn

LinkedIn

January 13, 2018

Johanna Leblanc - Adjunct Professor - Howard University - LinkedIn

LinkedIn

January 13, 2018

Johanna Leblanc,J.D.,LL.M. Hon.LL.D. - Adjunct Professor - Howard University - LinkedIn

LinkedIn

February 27, 2017

Justin Hansford - Wikipedia

Wikipedia

November 19, 2016

Chicago Torture Justice Center | Chicago IL - Bio For Facebook

Bio For Facebook

November 14, 2015

Trinity Holt - Law Student - Howard University School of Law - LinkedIn

LinkedIn

November 12, 2015

Janel George - Associate Professor of Law - Georgetown University Law Center - LinkedIn

LinkedIn

October 30, 2015

Racial Justice NOW | Nonprofit organization - Bio For Facebook

Bio For Facebook

August 31, 2015

Home - The National HBCU Prelaw Summit - HBCU Pre-Law Summit

HBCU Pre-Law Summit

July 12, 2014

Houman Shadab - LinkedIn

LinkedIn