The Society began conducting an annual lecture series in 1993 with a series on the Jewish Justices of the Supreme Court. In 2002, the series was named in honor of Leon Silverman upon his retirement as President of the Society. The series consists of 4-6 lectures on a topic of Supreme Court or Constitutional History and are held in Washington, DC at the Supreme Court of the United States.
Previously Held Lectures
October 16, 2019 — The Dissent as Concurrence–From Fletcher to Whitney, Mark R. Killenbeck, introduction TBA
October 24, 2019 — Dissents From Outside the Judiciary–The Southern Manifesto as a Dissent to the Brown Decisions, Justin Driver, introduced by Justice Elena Kagan
November 6, 2019 — Prescient Dissents–Justice Bradley and the Slaughter-House Cases, Pamela Brandwein, introduced by Justice Sonia Sotomayor
November 20, 2019 — The Lone Dissenter–William Rehnquist, Associate Justice, Charles Cooper, introduced by Justice Brett Kavanaugh
October 10, 2018 — World War One and the Court in Context, Melvin Urofsky, introduced by Justice Sonia Sotomayor
October 17, 2018 — Charles Evans Hughes and the Constitutional War Powers, Matthew Waxman, introduced by Justice Neil Gorsuch
October 23, 2018 — Arver v. United States, also known as the Selective Draft Law Cases, Christopher Capozzola, introduced by Justice Elena Kagan
December 6, 2018 — Free Speech Cases of World War I, Laura Weinrib, introduced by Justice Elena Kagan
October 4, 2017 — John Jay and John Marshall—Secretaries of State in the New Republic, Sai Prakash – introduced by Clarence Thomas
October 18, 2017 — Salmon P. Chase and Abraham Lincoln, Cynthia L. Nicoletti – introduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
November 1, 2017 — Attorney General Robert Jackson and President Roosevelt, John Q. Barrett – introduced by Chief Justice John Roberts
December 6, 2017 — Answering the Call—Leaving the Bench to serve the President: James Byrnes and FDR, Sidney Milkis – introduced by Justice Stephen G. Breyer
May 11, 2016 — The Court and the Chinese Exclusion Cases, Polly Price – introduced by Clerk Scott Harris
May 25, 2016 — Lochner Revisited, A Conversation between Paul Kens and Randy Barnett, moderated by Victoria Nourse – introduced by Justice Stephen Breyer
November 2, 2016 — The Court and Property Rights in the Progressive Era, James Ely – introduced by Justice Samuel Alito
November 16, 2016 — Sacco and Vanzetti and the Supreme Court, Brad Snyder – introduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
March 11, 2015 — The Supreme Court, Reconstruction and the Meaning of the Civil War, Michael A. Ross – introduced by Justice Anthony Kennedy
May 13, 2015 — The Lost History of the Reconstruction Amendments, Pamela Brandwein – introduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
October 14, 2015 — The Reconstruction of Rights, Laura Edwards (Duke University) – introduced by Justice Elena Kagan
October 28, 2015 — Slaughter-House, Randy Barnett – introduced by Justice Clarence Thomas
May 1, 2014 — Dred Scott and the Origins of the Civil War, Lea Vandervelde – introduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
May 8, 2014 — Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes and the Civil War: How it Shaped Him, James McPherson and G. Edward White, moderated by Brad Snyder – introduced by Clerk Scott Harris
October 16, 2014 — Chief Justice Roger B. Taney and the Civil War, Timothy Huebner – introduced by Justice Antonin Scalia
November 13, 2014 — President Lincoln, the Supreme Court and the Civil War, Lucas Morel – introduced by Justice Elena Kagan
May 1, 2013 — Gonzalo and Felícitas Mendez (Mendez v. Winchester), Phillipa Strum – introduced by Justice Antonin Scalia
May 8, 2013 — J.D. Shelly (Shelley v. Kraemer), Jeffrey Gonda – introduced by Justice Clarence Thomas
October 23, 2013 — Robert Bell (Bell v. Maryland), Kenneth Mack – introduced by Justice Elena Kagan
November 6, 2013 — John and Mary Beth Tinker (Tinker v. Des Moines School District), Kelly Shackelford – introduced by Justice Samuel Alito
March 14, 2012 — The Founders and Property Rights, Johnathan O’Neill – introduced by Jeff Minear
May 2, 2012 — Property Rights and the Gilded Age: Stephen Field and His Legacy, James Ely – introduced by Jeff Minear
May 23, 2012 — The History of the Commerce Clause and the Supreme Court in the 19th Century, Mark R. Killenbeck – introduced by Justice Sonia Sotomayor
October 10, 2012 — The History of the Takings Clause and the Supreme Court, Richard Epstein – introduced by Justice Stephen Breyer
November 14, 2012 — The History of Native American Lands and the Supreme Court, Angela Riley – introduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
March 16, 2011 — The Yoder Case, Shawn Peter Francis – introduced by Justice Samuel Alito
April 28, 2011 — The Reynolds Case, Sarah Barringer Gordon – introduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
May 5, 2011 — The Kerdoff Case, Rick Garnett – introduced by Chief Justice John Roberts
May 10, 2011 — The Schempp Case, Douglas Laycock – introduced by Justice Anthony Kennedy
March 23, 2010 — A Conversation on Original Intent and a Living Constitution, Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Stephen Breyer
April 20, 2010 — The Supreme Court and Appointments to the Bench, Barbara Perry – introduced by Chief Justice John Roberts
April 27, 2010 — The Supreme Court and the Eleventh Amendment, John Orth – introduced by Justice Clarence Thomas
May 11, 2010 — Marbury v. Madison, Larry Kramer – introduced by Justice Sonia Sotomayor
March 24, 2009 — Lincoln and the Redefinition of American Democracy, Robert Faulkner – introduced by Justice Samuel Alito
April 21, 2009 — Lincoln and Chief Justice Roger Taney, James Simon – introduced by Justice David Souter
April 28, 2009 — Lincoln and the Constitution: His Views on Liberty, Lucas Morel – introduced by Justice Clarence Thomas
May 14, 2009 — Lincoln as Lawyer, James Swanson – introduced by Justice John Paul Stevens
March 26, 2008 — Ex Parte Merryman and Ex Parte Milligan, John Yoo – introduced by Justice Clarence Thomas
April 1, 2008 — Gobitas and Barnette, Richard Morgan – introduced by Chief Justice Roberts
April 9, 2008 — National League of Cities, Eugene Hickok – introduced by Jeffery P. Minear
April 30, 2008 — Dennis, Michal Belknap – introduced by Jeffrey P. Minear
May 22, 2008 — Swift and Erie, Tony Freyer – introduced by Justice David Souter
February 27, 2007 — Associate Justice Samuel Miller, Michael Ross – introduced by Justice Samuel Alito
March 6, 2007 — Associate Justice Stephen Field, Paul Kens – introduced by Jeffrey P. Minear
April 26, 2007 — Justice Stanley Matthews, Jonathan Lurie – introduced by Justice Antonin Scalia
May 7, 2007 — Associate Justice David Brewer, William Wiecek – introduced by Justice David Souter
March 9, 2006 — Chief Justice William Howard Taft – Manager of Dissents, Jonathan Lurie – introduced by Justice Souter
March 23, 2006 — The Dissents of Justice John Marshal Harlan I, Linda Przybyszewski – introduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
May 2, 2006 — Justice William Johnson: The First “Great” Dissenter, Sandra F. VanBurkleo – introduced by Justice Antonin Scalia
May 11, 2006 — The Dred Scott Dissents, Lucas Morel – introduced by Chief Justice Roberts
May 18, 2006 — The Income Tax Case Dissents, Calvin H. Johnson – introduced by Associate Justice Samuel Alito
December 7, 2006 — The Gilded Age and the Supreme Court: An Overview, James O’Hara – introduced by Justice Ginsburg
February 23, 2005 — Jefferson’s Trio of Appointments to the Court, Henry J. Abraham – introduced by Sally Rider on behalf of the Chief Justice
March 23, 2005 — Jefferson and the Indian Tribes: Native American Sovereignty and the Court, Stephen G. Bragaw – introduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
April 4, 2005 — Jefferson’s Legacy to the Court: Freedom of Religion, Barbara A. Perry – introduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
April 20, 2005 — Jefferson and the Rise of Supreme Court Power, R. Kent Newmyer – introduced by Associate Justice David H. Souter
May 4, 2005 — President Jefferson and Chief Justice Marshall, Melvin Urofsky – introduced by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer
February 19, 2004 — Supreme Court Advocacy in the Early 19th Century, David Frederick – introduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist
February 26, 2004 — Ex-Justice Campbell and Creative Advocacy, Jonathan Lurie – introduced by Associate Justice David Souter
March 31, 2004 — Louis D. Brandeis: Advocate Before and On the Bench, Melvin Urofsky – introduced by Associate Justice Stephen Breyer
April 21, 2004 — Women as Advocates Before the Court, Mary Clark – introduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
April 29, 2004 — The Solicitors’ General Office: A Discussion, Kenneth W. Starr, Walter Dellinger, Seth Waxman and Lincoln Caplan – introduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
October 9, 2002 — Free Speech in Wartime, Geoffrey R. Stone – introduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
October 24, 2002 — The Japanese Interment Cases, John Ferren (held in Camden, NJ)
October 30, 2002 — Private Property v. Public Needs, Harry Scheiber – introduced by Associate Justice John Paul Stevens
November 13, 2002 — Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Robert Turner – introduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy
November 20, 2002 — Cold War v. Hot War, Douglas Kmiec – introduced by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas
December 11, 2002 — Military Courts and Military Tribunals, Michal Belknap – introduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
October 11, 2001 — The Supreme Court Before Marshall, Robert Lowery Clinton – introduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist
October 25, 2001 — The Establishment of Judicial Autonomy: Marbury v. Madison (1803), William Nelson – introduced by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer
November 13, 2001 — John Marshall and the Creation of a National Government, Michael McConnell – introduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy
November 29, 2001 — Marshall versus the Presidents: Jefferson and Jackson, Henry Abraham – introduced by Associate Justice John Paul Stevens
December 6, 2001 — The Legacy of John Marshall, Charles Hobson – introduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
October 12, 2000 — The Supreme Court Justices as Extra-Judicial Author, James O’Hara – introduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist
November 8, 2000 — The Art of Opinion Writing in the Early Republic, R. Kent Newmyer – introduced by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer
November 16, 2000 — The Role of the Supreme Court Reporter in History, Frank Wagner – introduced by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas
November 30, 2000 — Panel Discussion of the Supreme Court in Fiction, Louis Auchincloss, Louis Begley, Beverley Lower, Brad Meltzer, Robert Stone, E. Barrett Prettyman, Jr. – introduced by Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy
December 13, 2000 — The Supreme Court Opinion as Literature, James Boyd White – introduced by Associate Justice Antonin Scalia
April 21, 1999 — The Origins and Foundations of the First Amendment and the Alien and Sedition Acts, Murray Dry – introduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
May 4, 1999 — Free Speech: The Lost Years, David Rabban – introduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist
October 6, 1999 — The Clear and Present Danger Test, Douglas Laycock – introduced by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer
October 13, 1999 — The Clear and Present Danger Test: Panel Discussion-Walter Berns, Phillipa Strum, and Kenneth Tollett – introduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy
November 3, 1999 — Free Expression in the Warren and Burger Courts, Lillian BeVier – introduced by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas
April 8, 1998 — Reconstruction to Plessy, William Van Alstyne – introduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist
May 19, 1998 — Post Plessy, Pre Brown, Andrew Kull – introduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy
October 7, 1998 — Race, the Supreme Court and the Nation, John Hope Franklin – introduction by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer
October 21, 1998 — A Time to Lose, Paul E. Wilson – introduced by Associate Justice David Souter
November 4, 1998 — If…-Jack Greenberg – introduced by Associate Justice John Paul Stevens
November 18, 1998 — African-American Rights After Brown, Gerald Rosenberg – introduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
April 9, 1997 — Chief Justice John Marshall (1801-1835), Herbert Johnson – introduced by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas
May 7, 1997 — Chief Justice Roger B. Taney (1836-1864), James B. O’Hara – introduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist
May 21, 1997 — Chief Justice Melville Fuller (1888-1910), James Ely – introduced by Associate Justice John Paul Stevens
October 8, 1997 — Chief Justice William Howard Taft (1921-1930), Robert Post – introduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
November 5, 1997 — Chief Justice Earl Warren (1953-1969), Bernard Schwartz – introduced by Associate Justice Stephen Breyer
November 19, 1997 — Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes (1930-1941), Barry Cushman – introduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
April 2, 1996 — Dawn of the Conservative Era, Paul Kens – introduced by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer
April 9, 1996 — The Court in the Progressive Era, Benno C. Schmidt, Jr. – introduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
May 21, 1996 — Re-enactment of the Gold Clause Cases-Charles Cooper, Philip Lacovara, Kenneth Tollett – presided by Associate Justice Antonin Scalia
October 1, 1996 — The Return of the Four Horsemen, Hadley P. Arkes – introduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist
October 10, 1996 — The Nine Justices Respond to the 1937 Crisis, William E. Leuchtenburg, Jr. – introduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy
October 22, 1996 — The New Deal Court in the 1940s: Its Constitutional Legacy, David P. Currie – introduced by Associate Justice David H. Souter
January 25, 1995 — The Court at War and the War at the Court, Melvin Urofsky – introduced by Chief Justice William Rehnquist
February 9, 1995 — Property Rights and the Supreme Court in World War II, James W. Ely, Jr. – introduced by Associate Justice Byron R. White
March 9, 1995 — The Supreme Court and Racial Equality during World War II, Mary Dudziak – introduced by Associate Justice David H. Souter
March 23, 1995 — Saboteurs and Treason, Quirin and Cramer, J. Woodford Howard and David J. Danelski – introduced by Justice Antonin Scalia
April 27, 1995 — The First Amendment and World War II, Tony A. Freyer – introduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy
May 10, 1995 — Justice Jackson and the Nuremberg Trials, Dennis Hutchinson – introduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
March 9, 1994 — Antebellum Constitutional Crises-Herman Belz, Ludwell Johnson and Larry Kramer – introduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist
March 30, 1994 — Taney, Lincoln and the Constitutional Conversation, Phillip Paludan – introduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
April 6, 1994 — Revisiting Chase’s Jurisprudence, G. Edward White – introduced by Associate Justice David H. Souter
April 26, 1994 — Justice Embattled, Mark Neeley – introduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy
May 11, 1994 — The Supreme Court Docket, Harold Hyman – Introduced by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas
May 25, 1994 — Reconstruction: The Aftermath of the Civil War, Earl Maltz, Michael Les Benedict, Herman Belz, Randall Kennedy – introduced by Retired Associate Justice Harry A. Blackmun
March 4, 1993 — Louis Brandeis, Melvin Urofsky – introduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
March 18, 1993 — Felix Frankfurter, Michael Parrish – introduced by Senator George Mitchell
March 25, 1993 — Benjamin Cardozo, Andrew Kauffman – introduced by Senator George Mitchell
April 29, 1993 — Arthur Goldberg, Emily Van Tassell – introduced by Associate Justice David H. Souter
May 13, 1993 — Abe Fortas, Bruce Allen Murphy – introduced by Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy