Learning

There were only three black lawyers in the entire state of Mississippi and white lawyers wouldn’t take these cases. They were assisted by law students, for which this was a summer job. Gil was one of those students, having completed his first year at the University of Pittsburgh Law School. He returned committed to becoming a public interest lawyer. He joined the Pittsburgh ACLU, and after graduation, became its first executive director. About a quarter of the book is about his work with the ACLU. In 1970 Gil moved to Arizona to become Assistant Dean of the ASU law school. He stayed to raise a family while involved with social justice issues. This book tells you about more than his legal work. You learn a lot about his ancestors and his girlfriends. more »

Carving out a successful career in business and entrepreneurship is tough, but for women, rising to the top of their fields is even tougher. Those who do reach this pinnacle often find that they are the only woman in the room. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History features eight such women in its display, “The Only One in the Room.” This “New Perspectives” case will be on view in the museum’s business history exhibition, “American Enterprise,” through November 2021. The display will explore the stories of women who made a mark in their respective industries, including banking, beauty, advertising and manufacturing, and examine the obstacles they faced and the context of the times in which they lived. more »

"This book is primarily based on one hundred oral histories of outstanding women lawyers commissioned by the American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession. Impressed by Norgren's other books on women lawyers, two members of the Commission offered to make the transcripts available if she would write another book. Norgren explores childhood influences, law school experiences, and the various types of practice that these women engaged in. Until 1972, most law schools had quotas on women, usually about 7 percent, if they admitted any at all. Law professors told them that they were taking a man's place. But the fact that Amy Coney Barrett, who was born in 1972, could become a Supreme Court Justice while raising seven children is evidence of how far it has declined as a barrier to having a successful career." more »

What makes the store a charming and hardy survivor? Mostly, it’s the people who own it and who work in it. They truly care about books and they know books and writers. They make recommendations based on what a customer likes to read and if a book is not in stock, they can order it, swiftly. They connect frequently with their customers through an email newsletter. They sponsor six book clubs. They have held readings by both famous writers and local writers. And, they care about and support local community organizations and have done so for many years. I suggest that when you buy books, you purchase them from your local independent book store. Then, you can relish the good-citizen feeling of supporting a local business and delight in opening the fresh pages of a new book. more »