Race and the Law in the United States
Race and the Law in the United States
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This text explores how the legal history and judicial decisions of the United States contribute to the dynamic societal debates Americans are having around race today. It pairs historical cases and primary sources with contextual commentary to ensure students comprehend how decisions from the past deeply impact the laws they have inherited, as well as shape contemporary issues and political movements. This framework also highlights the distinctive characteristics of the various time periods and how they connect to other eras to provide students with a full appreciation of the events and environments influencing cases. Written in an accessible and engaging style, it avoids the traditional focus of many caselaw books and instead promotes a sound understanding of the legal concepts and dynamics that inform current discussions of racial identities, challenging the usual development of doctrinal law and court decisions defining race. An Instructor Manual is available online, with additional teaching resources and assessment materials for each chapter, to foster meaningful class discussions about future choices and how to pursue a more equal nation.
- Challenges the usual focus of constitutional law teaching - doctrinal development of the law - by instead promoting an understanding of the legal concepts and dynamics that contribute to current societal debates around racial identities
- Addresses aspects of racial discourse in the US that the law and existing law textbooks overlook, and explores key concepts such as federalism, sovereignty, liberty, and equality
- Chapter discussion questions continuously connect the narrative and historical cases to present-day debates, while additional cases and questions available in the Instructor Manual can further these connections in class discussions and individual assessments
- Avoids emotionally charged language, allowing the primary texts to speak for themselves, which in turn encourages students to form their own opinions on contemporary issues
- Written in a conversational style to engage readers and better prepare them for the more formal and historical writing of primary texts
Reviews & endorsements
‘This text is an outstanding resource for teaching race and law in the United States. Designed both to illustrate thematic and group-based concerns and to promote historical understanding, the book covers the breadth of the American experience with race under the law. It provides thoughtfully edited primary sources, including cases, but also legislation, legal commentary, and key movement voices. The explanatory materials provide excellent context for the documents, including outlining the active efforts by people of color and advocacy organizations to promote change. Highly realistic about the potential and limits of law as a tool for reform, this text is an ideal choice for instructors who want to inspire their students to examine legal questions from a richly historical, political, and critical perspective.’ Julie Novkov, University at Albany, SUNY
‘No one is more qualified to guide students seeking to understand the intersection of law and social justice than Dr. Deardorff. Race and the Law in the United States illuminates the intricacies of how the legal system shapes racial identity and lived experiences. This book will be the gold standard for those seeking to foster a deep understanding of how race shapes legal frameworks and perpetuates disparities.’ Najja Baptist, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
‘Deardorff’s textbook tackles the challenging subject of how to talk about contemporary problems of race and the law. Each chapter couples contextual narratives on discrete topics with cases, legislative documents, and historical sources to explore how the past has shaped the present. Readable and engaging, Race and the Law in the United States will encourage robust and critical discussion among students across disciplines and from varying backgrounds.’ Jason Gillmer, Gonzaga University
‘Race and the Law in the United States represents a uniquely comprehensive treatment of the legal concepts and dynamics regarding race and the law in the U.S. Its excellent collection of primary sources will allow students from various backgrounds and perspectives to gain an expansive view of the topic and fuel the development of their own opinions.’ Morgan Hazelton, Saint Louis University
Product details
June 2025Hardback
9781009098588
381 pages
254 × 178 × 22 mm
0.879kg
Available
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Introduction: the legal construction and development of race
- 1. Race, the constitution, and slavery
- 2. Race. citizenship, and sovereignty
- 3. Race and segregation
- 4. Race and state obligation
- 5. Race, culture, and identity
- 6. Race and constructing democracy'
- 7. Race and the limits of the law
- Conclusion: what do we owe democracy?
- References
- Index.
