To commemorate the 150th anniversary of a groundbreaking Iowa Supreme Court civil rights decision, Drake University is hosting a celebration today through Friday, Sept. 25–28. The event will honor both Alexander G. Clark, an African-American businessman and activist, and Chester C. Cole, Iowa Supreme Court Justice and co-founder of Drake Law School.

In the landmark 1867 case, the Muscatine school district said Clark’s daughter couldn’t attend the same public school that white students attended. Clark sued. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled in his favor, saying that all children could attend a common school. The decision, written by Cole, was an important one, preceding by 86 years the landmark 1954 ruling in Brown vs. the Topeka Board of Education. Clark’s lawsuit made Iowa one of the first states to integrate its public school system.

Register for the Clark 150 celebration. Events will include:

Rededication of Cole Hall: Tuesday, Sept. 25, 12—1 p.m.
The program will be held on the north side of Cole Hall, and will be followed by an ice cream social. This event is free. Please register for this event by choosing the green Tickets button above.

Simpson College, The Iowa Constitution: An Enduring Testament to Equality: Thursday, Sept. 27, 6 p.m. reception; 7 p.m. program
Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady and University of Iowa Law Professor Todd Pettys will be speakers. Hubbell Hall, Kent Campus Center, 701 North C Street, Indianola. Both the reception and program are free and open to the public. No registration required for this event.

Conference: Friday, Sept. 28, 12—4 p.m.
This half-day conference will include lunch at Kern Commons in Cartwright Hall and three sessions at Sheslow Auditorium. This event is free. Please register for this event by choosing the green Tickets button above.

Banquet: Friday, Sept. 28, 5:15—8:30 p.m.
The celebration banquet will be held at The Knapp Center, starting with a cocktail reception at 5:15 p.m. The banquet begins at 6 p.m., and will include a program with keynote address. Tickets are $50 per individual. Please contact Terri Howard if you are interested in purchasing a table.

Register for the event on Eventbrite. For more information on the Clark vs Muscatine case, see the Opperman Law Library page.

Drinda Williams, Office of the Provost