SCHS: Programs & Events — Rosette Detail

The Leon Silverman Lecture Series

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

2019—Dissent in the Court’s History

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

2018—The Supreme Court and World War I

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

2017—Supreme Court Justices in Presidential Cabinets

October 4, 2017 — John Jay and John Marshall—Secretaries of State in the New Republic, Sai Prakashintroduced by Clarence Thomas

October 18, 2017 — Salmon P. Chase and Abraham Lincoln, Cynthia L. Nicolettiintroduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

November 1, 2017 — Attorney General Robert Jackson and President Roosevelt, John Q. Barrettintroduced by Chief Justice John Roberts

December 6, 2017 — Answering the Call—Leaving the Bench to serve the President: James Byrnes and FDR, Sidney Milkisintroduced by Justice Stephen G. Breyer

2016—The Supreme Court and the Progressive Era

May 11, 2016 — The Court and the Chinese Exclusion Cases, Polly Priceintroduced by Clerk Scott Harris

May 25, 2016 — Lochner Revisited, A Conversation between Paul Kens and Randy Barnett, moderated by Victoria Nourseintroduced by Justice Stephen Breyer

November 2, 2016 — The Court and Property Rights in the Progressive Era, James Elyintroduced by Justice Samuel Alito

November 16, 2016 — Sacco and Vanzetti and the Supreme Court, Brad Snyderintroduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

2015—The Supreme Court and Reconstruction

March 11, 2015 — The Supreme Court, Reconstruction and the Meaning of the Civil War, Michael A. Rossintroduced by Justice Anthony Kennedy

May 13, 2015 — The Lost History of the Reconstruction Amendments, Pamela Brandweinintroduced 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 Barnettintroduced by Justice Clarence Thomas

2014—The Supreme Court and the Civil War Revisited

May 1, 2014 — Dred Scott and the Origins of the Civil War, Lea Vanderveldeintroduced 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 Snyderintroduced by Clerk Scott Harris

October 16, 2014 — Chief Justice Roger B. Taney and the Civil War, Timothy Huebnerintroduced by Justice Antonin Scalia

November 13, 2014 — President Lincoln, the Supreme Court and the Civil War, Lucas Morelintroduced by Justice Elena Kagan

2013—Litigants in Landmark 20th Century Cases

May 1, 2013 — Gonzalo and Felícitas Mendez (Mendez v. Winchester), Phillipa Strumintroduced by Justice Antonin Scalia

May 8, 2013 — J.D. Shelly (Shelley v. Kraemer), Jeffrey Gondaintroduced by Justice Clarence Thomas

October 23, 2013 — Robert Bell (Bell v. Maryland), Kenneth Mackintroduced by Justice Elena Kagan

November 6, 2013 — John and Mary Beth Tinker (Tinker v. Des Moines School District), Kelly Shackelfordintroduced by Justice Samuel Alito

2012 –The Supreme Court and Property Rights

March 14, 2012 — The Founders and Property Rights, Johnathan O’Neillintroduced by Jeff Minear

May 2, 2012 — Property Rights and the Gilded Age: Stephen Field and His Legacy, James Elyintroduced by Jeff Minear

May 23, 2012 — The History of the Commerce Clause and the Supreme Court in the 19th Century, Mark R. Killenbeckintroduced by Justice Sonia Sotomayor

October 10, 2012 — The History of the Takings Clause and the Supreme Court, Richard Epsteinintroduced by Justice Stephen Breyer

November 14, 2012 — The History of Native American Lands and the Supreme Court, Angela Rileyintroduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

2011 People Behind the Court’s Religion Cases

March 16, 2011 — The Yoder Case, Shawn Peter Francisintroduced by Justice Samuel Alito

April 28, 2011 — The Reynolds Case, Sarah Barringer Gordonintroduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

May 5, 2011 — The Kerdoff Case, Rick Garnettintroduced by Chief Justice John Roberts

May 10, 2011 — The Schempp Case, Douglas Laycockintroduced by Justice Anthony Kennedy

2010—The Supreme Court and Separation of Powers

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 Perryintroduced by Chief Justice John Roberts

April 27, 2010 — The Supreme Court and the Eleventh Amendment, John Orthintroduced by Justice Clarence Thomas

May 11, 2010 — Marbury v. Madison, Larry Kramerintroduced by Justice Sonia Sotomayor

2009—The Supreme Court and President Lincoln

March 24, 2009 — Lincoln and the Redefinition of American Democracy, Robert Faulknerintroduced by Justice Samuel Alito

April 21, 2009 — Lincoln and Chief Justice Roger Taney, James Simonintroduced by Justice David Souter

April 28, 2009 — Lincoln and the Constitution: His Views on Liberty, Lucas Morelintroduced by Justice Clarence Thomas

May 14, 2009 — Lincoln as Lawyer, James Swansonintroduced by Justice John Paul Stevens

2008–The Ephemeral Nature of Landmark Cases

March 26, 2008 — Ex Parte Merryman and Ex Parte Milligan, John Yoointroduced by Justice Clarence Thomas

April 1, 2008 — Gobitas and Barnette, Richard Morganintroduced by Chief Justice Roberts

April 9, 2008 — National League of Cities, Eugene Hickokintroduced by Jeffery P. Minear

April 30, 2008 — Dennis, Michal Belknapintroduced by Jeffrey P. Minear

May 22, 2008 — Swift and Erie, Tony Freyerintroduced by Justice David Souter

2007–Associate Justices of the Gilded Age

February 27, 2007 — Associate Justice Samuel Miller, Michael Rossintroduced by Justice Samuel Alito

March 6, 2007 — Associate Justice Stephen Field, Paul Kensintroduced by Jeffrey P. Minear

April 26, 2007 — Justice Stanley Matthews, Jonathan Lurieintroduced by Justice Antonin Scalia

May 7, 2007 — Associate Justice David Brewer, William Wiecekintroduced by Justice David Souter

2006–Dissents and Dissenters

March 9, 2006 — Chief Justice William Howard Taft – Manager of Dissents, Jonathan Lurieintroduced by Justice Souter

March 23, 2006 — The Dissents of Justice John Marshal Harlan I, Linda Przybyszewskiintroduced by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

May 2, 2006 — Justice William Johnson: The First “Great” Dissenter, Sandra F. VanBurkleointroduced by Justice Antonin Scalia

May 11, 2006 — The Dred Scott Dissents, Lucas Morelintroduced by Chief Justice Roberts

May 18, 2006 — The Income Tax Case Dissents, Calvin H. Johnsonintroduced by Associate Justice Samuel Alito

December 7, 2006 — The Gilded Age and the Supreme Court: An Overview, James O’Haraintroduced by Justice Ginsburg

2005–President Thomas Jefferson, Chief Justice John Marshall, the Supreme Court and the Constitution

February 23, 2005 — Jefferson’s Trio of Appointments to the Court, Henry J. Abrahamintroduced 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. Bragawintroduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

April 4, 2005 — Jefferson’s Legacy to the Court: Freedom of Religion, Barbara A. Perryintroduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

April 20, 2005 — Jefferson and the Rise of Supreme Court Power, R. Kent Newmyerintroduced by Associate Justice David H. Souter

May 4, 2005 — President Jefferson and Chief Justice Marshall, Melvin Urofskyintroduced by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer

2004 - The Supreme Court and Advocates

February 19, 2004 — Supreme Court Advocacy in the Early 19th Century, David Frederickintroduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist

February 26, 2004 — Ex-Justice Campbell and Creative Advocacy, Jonathan Lurieintroduced by Associate Justice David Souter

March 31, 2004 — Louis D. Brandeis: Advocate Before and On the Bench, Melvin Urofskyintroduced by Associate Justice Stephen Breyer

April 21, 2004 — Women as Advocates Before the Court, Mary Clarkintroduced 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 Caplanintroduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

2002 - The Supreme Court in Times of National Emergency

October 9, 2002 — Free Speech in Wartime, Geoffrey R. Stoneintroduced 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 Scheiberintroduced by Associate Justice John Paul Stevens

November 13, 2002 — Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Robert Turnerintroduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy

November 20, 2002 — Cold War v. Hot War, Douglas Kmiecintroduced by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas

December 11, 2002 — Military Courts and Military Tribunals, Michal Belknapintroduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

2001 - The Chief Justiceship of John Marshall

October 11, 2001 — The Supreme Court Before Marshall, Robert Lowery Clintonintroduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist

October 25, 2001 — The Establishment of Judicial Autonomy: Marbury v. Madison (1803), William Nelsonintroduced by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer

November 13, 2001 — John Marshall and the Creation of a National Government, Michael McConnellintroduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy

November 29, 2001 — Marshall versus the Presidents: Jefferson and Jackson, Henry Abrahamintroduced by Associate Justice John Paul Stevens

December 6, 2001 — The Legacy of John Marshall, Charles Hobsonintroduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

2000 - The Supreme Court and the Art of the Written Word

October 12, 2000 — The Supreme Court Justices as Extra-Judicial Author, James O’Haraintroduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist

November 8, 2000 — The Art of Opinion Writing in the Early Republic, R. Kent Newmyerintroduced by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer

November 16, 2000 — The Role of the Supreme Court Reporter in History, Frank Wagnerintroduced 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 Whiteintroduced by Associate Justice Antonin Scalia

1999 - The First Amendment: Free Speech, Political Rights and Liberties

April 21, 1999 — The Origins and Foundations of the First Amendment and the Alien and Sedition Acts, Murray Dryintroduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

May 4, 1999 — Free Speech: The Lost Years, David Rabbanintroduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist

October 6, 1999 — The Clear and Present Danger Test, Douglas Laycockintroduced by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer

October 13, 1999 — The Clear and Present Danger Test: Panel Discussion-Walter Berns, Phillipa Strum, and Kenneth Tollettintroduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy

November 3, 1999 — Free Expression in the Warren and Burger Courts, Lillian BeVierintroduced by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas

1998 - African American Civil Rights and the Supreme Court

April 8, 1998 — Reconstruction to Plessy, William Van Alstyneintroduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist

May 19, 1998 — Post Plessy, Pre Brown, Andrew Kullintroduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy

October 7, 1998 — Race, the Supreme Court and the Nation, John Hope Franklinintroduction by Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer

October 21, 1998 — A Time to Lose, Paul E. Wilsonintroduced by Associate Justice David Souter

November 4, 1998 — If…-Jack Greenbergintroduced by Associate Justice John Paul Stevens

November 18, 1998 — African-American Rights After Brown, Gerald Rosenbergintroduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

1997 - Chief Justices of the United States

April 9, 1997 — Chief Justice John Marshall (1801-1835), Herbert Johnsonintroduced by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas

May 7, 1997 — Chief Justice Roger B. Taney (1836-1864), James B. O’Haraintroduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist

May 21, 1997 — Chief Justice Melville Fuller (1888-1910), James Elyintroduced by Associate Justice John Paul Stevens

October 8, 1997 — Chief Justice William Howard Taft (1921-1930), Robert Postintroduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

November 5, 1997 — Chief Justice Earl Warren (1953-1969), Bernard Schwartzintroduced by Associate Justice Stephen Breyer

November 19, 1997 — Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes (1930-1941), Barry Cushmanintroduced by Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

1996 - The Four Horseman v. New Deal

April 2, 1996 — Dawn of the Conservative Era, Paul Kensintroduced 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 Tollettpresided by Associate Justice Antonin Scalia

October 1, 1996 — The Return of the Four Horsemen, Hadley P. Arkesintroduced 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. Currieintroduced by Associate Justice David H. Souter

1995 - The Supreme Court and World War II

January 25, 1995 — The Court at War and the War at the Court, Melvin Urofskyintroduced 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 Dudziakintroduced by Associate Justice David H. Souter

March 23, 1995 — Saboteurs and Treason, Quirin and Cramer, J. Woodford Howard and David J. Danelskiintroduced by Justice Antonin Scalia

April 27, 1995 — The First Amendment and World War II, Tony A. Freyerintroduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy

May 10, 1995 — Justice Jackson and the Nuremberg Trials, Dennis Hutchinsonintroduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

1994 - The Supreme Court and the Civil War

March 9, 1994 — Antebellum Constitutional Crises-Herman Belz, Ludwell Johnson and Larry Kramerintroduced by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist

March 30, 1994 — Taney, Lincoln and the Constitutional Conversation, Phillip Paludanintroduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

April 6, 1994 — Revisiting Chase’s Jurisprudence, G. Edward Whiteintroduced by Associate Justice David H. Souter

April 26, 1994 — Justice Embattled, Mark Neeleyintroduced by Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy

May 11, 1994 — The Supreme Court Docket, Harold HymanIntroduced by Associate Justice Clarence Thomas

May 25, 1994 — Reconstruction: The Aftermath of the Civil War, Earl Maltz, Michael Les Benedict, Herman Belz, Randall Kennedyintroduced by Retired Associate Justice Harry A. Blackmun

1993 - Jewish Justices of the Supreme Court

March 4, 1993 — Louis Brandeis, Melvin Urofskyintroduced by Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

March 18, 1993 — Felix Frankfurter, Michael Parrishintroduced by Senator George Mitchell

March 25, 1993 — Benjamin Cardozo, Andrew Kauffmanintroduced by Senator George Mitchell

April 29, 1993 — Arthur Goldberg, Emily Van Tassellintroduced by Associate Justice David H. Souter

May 13, 1993 — Abe Fortas, Bruce Allen Murphyintroduced by Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy