5-Year Review
5-Year Review
Inspired by the legacy of former Howard University School of Law Dean Charles Hamilton Houston and his mentee the first Black Supreme Court Justice, the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center continues the practical legacy of “social engineers”. The center has committed to addressing the most critical human and civil rights issues since its inception. Guided by the philosophy of heads (scholarship), hands (Lawyering work), and heart (community connections), social justice and movement lawyering are sustained priorities.
The center provides a nexus for Howard Law students, advocacy organizations, and impacted people to converge efforts on social justice issues. Whether through hosting informative panels, screening issue based documentary films, or providing legal support to movement organizations TMCRC is working to push civil rights forward.
Major Projects
Justice for Garvey
Justice for Garvey
In 1923 Jamaican born revolutionary figure, Marcus Garvey, was convicted on unmerited mail fraud charges. The posthumous exoneration of Garvey is important to tell the truth about political trials of black leaders. To learn more about the scholarship and advocacy TMCRC is using, follow the link.
H.R.8914: The Helping Families Heal Act
In October 2018 Lezley McSpadden, the mother of Michael Brown who was killed by police in Ferguson, Mo. in 2014, partnered with the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center at the Howard University School of Law.
The focus of her work with the center involved passing legislation that provided mental health services to families and communities affected by police violence. The efforts of this partnership resulted in the introduction of the Helping Families Heal Act.
Learn more about TMCRC's advocacy of this bill on Congresswoman Cori Bush's web…Matulu Shakur Petition
Matulu Shakur Petition
Dr. Mutulu Shakur, step father of rapper Tupac Shakur, was an activist serving a prison sentence for involvement in a 1981 robbery that resulted in the deaths of two officers and a guard. The center advocated for his compassionate release during the last year of his sentence based on his terminal cancer prognosis. Dr. Matulu Shakur was released in November 2022 and passed away in July 2023.
The Justice Initiative
The Justice Initiative
In 2020, TMCRC collaborated with Harvard University School of Law to create a social justice curriculum for law students nationwide. Through weekly seminars with expert movement lawyers and activist and project collaborations, we are building a generation of justice centered lawyers beyond the campus of Howard University School of Law.
Campaign Against Anti-CRT
Campaign Against Anti-CRT
Public attacks and misrepresentation of Critical Race Theory has resulted in harmful action that seeks to target teacher ‘These are the facts’: Black educators silenced from teaching America’s racist past | US education | The Guardians, eliminate black history and authors from schools (Black Authors Are Being Pulled From School Libraries Over Critical Race Theory Fears (newsweek.com), and even suppress divine 9 greek organizations on college campuses (Why the Divine 9 must keep attacking Florida's awful HB 999 (msnbc.com) ). Partnered with several organizations, TMCRC has worked to combat anti-CRT laws and policies.
Movement Lawyering Conference - Advancement Project
Movement Lawyering Conference - Advancement Project
In collaboration with the Advancement Project and Law for Black Lives, The centered hosted the inaugural Movement Lawyering Conference. The October 2019 convening addressed issues such as organizing around voting rights, natural disasters, the prison industrial complex and migration.
Movement Lawyering Conference - Advancement Project - Advancement Project
African-American Redress Network
African-American Redress Network
This collaboration with The School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia has led to the mapping and support to local racial reparations efforts. Communities like Brown Grove, Va and Africatown, AL.
Student Work
Student Work
- Op-Ed on Marcus Garvey Exoneration Shaq al-Hijaz (Class of 2024) As DeSantis hides Black history, Marcus Garvey deserves to have his true story taught | CNN
- Environmental Justice Report- Valencia Are
- Prison Censorship Report- Brittany Finney (Class of 2021) e
- Law4BlackLives Report- Porsha Dewitt (Class of 2024)
- Annotated Bibliography on Reparations- Charkera Ervin (Class of 2023)
- White paper Sundiata Acoli release-David Carter (Class of 2023)
Timeline Review
TIMELINE Review ( End of Year Reports | Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center (howard.edu) )
2018
- Center established by Howard University School of Law Dean Dainelle Holly
- Terrance Gamble v. United States of America amicus brief
- Brief in support of prohibiting ICE from using DACA information in deportation actions
2019
- Spying Dissent webinar Watch the Spying Dissent Event - Defending Rights & Dissent (rightsanddissent.org)
- Request for IACHR Thematic Discussion on Reparations for Afro-Descendants Request for a thematic hearing on reparations for Afro-descendants in the US during the 173rd Period of Sessions | Human Rights Watch (hrw.org)
- Trauma-Informed Lawyering Workshop
2020
- Request to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for a hearing on structural racism and police violence
- Hosted ‘We Are The Rising Majority” featuring“The Squad”: Congressional Representatives Alexandria Ocazio-Cortez, Rhashida Talib, Ayanaa Pressley, and Ilhan Omar.
- McKesson v. Doe amicus brief
- Legal Observer Training (over 200 participants)
- Protester Arrest FOIA
- White paper on unequal impact of Covid-19
- Filed injunction against unconstitutionally imposed curfews in DC and New York
- Reimagining Police Stops Workshop Series
- Life After Release criminal justice reform advocacy
- United Kingdom Affidavit to prevent release of arms to U.S.
2021
- Prison Censorship Report
- OACHR submission to United Nations High Commissioner on behalf of Mike Brown’s Family
- Submission to the 8th Circuit in support of Marcus Mitchell’s constitutional rights at the Dakota Access Pipeline in 2017 in support of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
- White paper on how police brutality affects mental health in the Black Community
- Brief submitted to the Supreme Court in support of the First Step Act of 2018.
- Screening of ATTICA, a documentary on the 1971 prison uprising.
- TMCRC student attorneys and interns participate in Critical Race Theory (CRT) Summer School CRT Summer School Video 2021 on Vimeo
2022
- United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent launch for civil society at International Student House
- Brazilian Congresswoman Renata Souza visits Thurgood Marshall Center
- TMCRC hosts Reparations Conference 2022
- TMCTC Hosts United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination (CERD) Review of Human Rights Cities
- CRT hotline
- TMCRC hosts community reparations event
- Litigation support for Concerned Black Clergy v. Raffensperger,
- Black Swan Academy collaboration
2023
- Legal support to protest of Cop City
- Tracks and curbs advancement of state-level anti-protest legislation
- TMCRC hosts Earth Day Panel
- IACHR briefs on behalf of Rekia Boyd and Mike Brown
- Police Free Schools Coalition
- Oklahoma amicus brief regarding anti CRT law
- Collaboration on the Stop Police Terror Project
- Report on specialized units in police departments