Votes for Texas Women: 19th Amendment Centennial Symposium

Harris County Law Library is hosting a symposium in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and the progress made by the women’s suffrage movement. Registration is now open for this important program, which be held on Tuesday, August 18, 2020, from 2 p.m.-4 p.m., via GoToWebinar. Attendees can receive 2.0 hours CLE, including 1.0 hours ethics in Texas, provided by the Harris County Attorney’s Office.

Law Library Director Mariann Sears, the first woman to serve as Director of the Law Library, will open the symposium by welcoming three notable women in the legal profession to discuss the history of voting rights for women and the importance of inclusion in law and government. The speakers include: Marie Jamison, a partner at Wright, Close & Barger, who will share her research into the history of the 19th Amendment and the progress that followed; Renee Knake Jefferson, a professor at University of Houston Law Center, who will discuss the research for her book, Shortlisted: Women in the Shadows of the Supreme Court, and Justice Frances Bourliot, a judge for the Texas 14th Court of Appeals, who will discuss the importance of inclusion on the bench and share her experience as an appellate justice.

The date selected for the symposium is the 100th anniversary of ratification of the 19th Amendment on August 18, 1920. On that day, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, which Congress passed on June 4, 1919, and Texas ratified on June 28, 1919. To learn more about the path of the 19th Amendment toward ratification and the history of the brave suffragists, like Jovita Idar, who pressed for the right to vote in Texas, visit the exhibit “Texas and the 19th Amendment” from the National Parks Service.

We hope you will join us on August 18 as we look back on this historic moment in our nation’s history and delve into what it means for all of us today.

Recognition in the Time of COVID: Judge Daryl Moore receives Law Library Advocate Award

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Congratulations to Judge Daryl Moore, Texas 333rd District Court, who is this year’s recipient of the American Association of Law Libraries Government Law Libraries section Law Library Advocate Award! Judge Moore was recognized for his work in support of expanding law library services to all in Harris County, Texas. His tireless work as co-chair of the HBA County Law Library Committee helped the Law Library expand services for self-represented litigants, create new educational opportunities for the local legal community, and increase funding for library programs offered to everyone in Harris County.

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Presenting an Award During a Pandemic

In a regular year, Judge Moore would have received his well-deserved award at the annual meeting of the American Association of Law Libraries to a room filled with law librarians from across the country. 2020 is not a regular year. As such, our director presented the award to Judge Moore on Friday at the Law Library to an audience of a socially-distanced photographer.

Marching for Liberation and Pride

Photo Credit: allysonmiller1969 on Pixabay at https://pixabay.com/users/allysonmiller1969-224234/

Updated on June 7, 2023

In her 1937 novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neal Hurston famously wrote, “Some years ask questions, and some years answer.” This year seems to be asking more questions than ever, and communities are seeking answers. In 1969, people in the gay community were looking for answers, too. The Stonewall Uprising took place that year on June 28 in a seedy but beloved bar called The Stonewall Inn. Often described as a riot, this pivotal event sparked a revolution.

Just one year later, The Christopher Street Gay Liberation March, which is now recognized as the first Pride parade, took place in Greenwich Village. The march united the community (although the early gay liberation efforts were far from inclusive) and ignited the modern gay rights movement. Activist Martin Boyce put it this way: "What began as a question mark downtown ended in an exclamation point." Sunday is the 50-year anniversary of that first Pride event, and the LGBTQ+ community is continuing to work for progress in achieving equal rights.

To capture the enthusiasm and renegade spirit of the original Christopher Street Gay Liberation March, and to oppose the so-called rainbow capitalism and corporate pinkwashing that has come to dominate modern Pride parades, a more rebellious, politically minded activist group called the Reclaim Pride Coalition is hosts a Queer Liberation March on a Sunday in New York. The march, which is distinguishing itself as a protest with an agenda and a Statement of Purpose, will be streamed online. Many other virtual Pride events are taking place all over the Web. Don’t miss your chance to observe the occasion.

This is certainly a year that asks questions, but people are demanding answers, too. All people who live at the margins are fighting to be acknowledged. They want accountability and action, the same outcomes that gay rights pioneers like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera fought for at that first Pride march on June 28, 1970. In recognition of their efforts, and in celebration of the legal advances that LGBTQ+ individuals have achieved in the fight for equal rights, we are providing a curated list of further reading on the topics of gay liberation, the Stonewall Uprising, and the modern LGBTQ+ movement in the courts and in the culture.

Then and Now

An Amazing 1969 Account of the Stonewall Uprising – The Atlantic

What Does Pride Mean Now? – New York Times

Stonewall Then and Now – The Harvard Gazette

Stonewall National Monument – National Parks Service

Timelines

The Court Cases That Changed L.G.B.T.Q. Rights – New York Times

Milestones in the American Gay Rights Movement – American Experience PBS

LGBTQ Rights Milestones Fast Facts – CNN

Intersections

Global Pride To Focus On Black Lives Matter At First Worldwide LGBT Event -- Forbes

LGBTQ communities are elevating black voices during Pride Month in solidarity – CNN

Video

Stonewall Forever: A Documentary about the Past, Present and Future of Pride

Who Threw the First Brick? Let’s Argue About It – New York Times

Stonewall Uprising – American Experience PBS

Gay and Proud – Library of Congress

Today is George Floyd Day

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Today, June 9, 2020, as mourners gather in southwest Houston to remember George Floyd, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo plans to declare the day to be “George Floyd Day” in Harris County, Texas. Mr. Floyd’s death has sparked global protests and a renewed focus on civil rights. As the public law library for Harris County, we want to contribute to the conversation by assisting anyone who needs access to legal information. Knowledge is power and access to knowledge empowers. If we can help you find information or assist with your legal research, please visit our Virtual Reference Desk to contact us.

You can also find a wealth of information about civil rights and the law of protests from the following sources:

Civil Rights Law

• Sacramento County Public Law Library: Law 101 Civil Rights

• Law Library at University of Minnesota Law School: Resource Guide - Civil Rights in the United States

• Georgetown Law Library: A Brief History of Civil Rights in the United States

• Harvard Law School Library: Civil Rights Law Research

• Princeton University Library: African American Studies: Civil Rights

Law of Protests

• ACLU: Rights of Protestors

• ACLU-Texas: Free Speech and the Right to Protest

• FindLaw: Is there a right to peacefully protest?

• FindLaw: Protest Laws by State

Racial Justice

• Drake Law Library: Racial Justice in the U.S. Guide

• New York Law School: Racial Justice Project - Publications

World Migratory Bird Day 2020

Recent news reports have indicated that bird-watching has become a popular hobby during the coronavirus pandemic. As more people are emerging from quarantines and are venturing out as stay-at-home orders are being lifted or rolled back, they are flocking to the great outdoors and finding a new appreciation for our feathered friends, perhaps even the ubiquitous pigeon and house sparrow. Avid birdwatchers have long known the physical and mental health benefits associated with their hobby. Bird watching can not only improve one’s cardiovascular health but it can also lift one’s spirit. Imagine the excitement of observing a species you have never seen before. Bird watching also gets people into the fresh air and helps them become more contemplative and meditative as they watch the trees or the marshes for the appearance of that long-expected bird.

Now is an even more exciting time than ever to turn our eyes to the skies. Spring and fall typically mark the peak bird migration periods here in the United States and elsewhere. Fittingly, tomorrow, May 9, 2020, is World Migratory Bird Day in the Americas (WMBD) , a program aimed at educating the public about migratory birds and the ways to protect them. This year’s theme, Birds Connect Our World, focuses on the tracking technology used to examine the routes followed by these migratory species and how it can be used to support conservation efforts. This year’s featured species includes: American Kestrel, Arctic Tern, Baird’s Sparrow, Barn Owl, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Calliope Hummingbird, Canada Warbler, Fork-Tailed Flycatcher, Northern Pintail, Purple Martin, Western Sandpiper, and Yellow-Breasted Chat. Of these species, about 8 of them can be found in or migrating through the Houston area or Gulf Coast region. We’re not telling you which ones, though. You’ll have to go to online to find out for yourself.

First created in 1993 by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center as International Migratory Bird Day, WMBD has expanded its focus to include the major migratory bird flyways: the African-Eurasian, the East Asian-Australasian, and the Americas. Each year throughout North America, on the second Saturday of May, Environment for the Americas coordinates a bird festival featuring events, programs, and activities. This year’s Bird Day LIVE events, however, will be going virtual. The festival will feature kid-friendly sessions, such as story times and movies, interactive quizzes, and speakers as well as sessions in Spanish. There are also plenty of resources on the WMBD website, including activity sheets and coloring pages. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute is also having a digital celebration of WMBD. It is hosting a “flash flock” to promote Bird Friendly® coffee farms and featuring fun activities on Facebook and Twitter. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has a lot of good educational resources on its website, not only for WMBD but also about birding in general. You can also read about the Urban Bird Treaty Program, of which Houston is a part. Speaking of Houston, the Houston Audubon Society is hosting an online WMBD event with presentations, workshops, art contests, and more.

Throughout the years, the federal government has recognized the importance of migratory birds and has enacted legislation protecting birds and their habitats. Key legislation includes: Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Endangered Species Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, and North American Wetlands Conservation Act. The United States is also a party to two international treaties: Ramsar Convention and the Antarctic Treaty.

If all of this has inspired to you to take flight and head outdoors, there are plenty of resources to help you with bird identification skills:

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s All About Birds

• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Bird Enthusiasts

• Houston Audubon Society