Race on Trial

This book of twelve original essays will bring together two themes of American culture: law and race. The essays fall into four groups: cases that are essential to the history of race in America; cases that illustrate the treatment of race in American history; cases of great fame that became the trials of the century of their time; and cases that made important law. Some of the cases discussed include Amistad, Dred Scott, Plessy v. Ferguson, Scottsboro, Korematsu v. US, Brown v. Board, Loving v. Virginia, Regents v. Bakke, and OJ Simpson. All illustrate how race often determined the outcome of trials, and how trials that confront issues of racism provide a unique lens on American cultural history. Cases include African-Americans, Asian-Americans, and Caucasians. Contributors include a mix of junior and senior scholars in law schools and history departments.


"Race on Trial succeeds in its limited aim of bringing essays on an important historical topic to the attention of general readers."--HISTORY

"Together, the twelve cases in Race On Trial cover a long span of US legal history, and the authors provide fascinating biographies of the litigants behind the court cases. Overall, Gordon-Reed has compiled a fascinating collections by impressive scholars on important racially-oriented trials."-- Law and Politics Book Review