To commemorate the 150th anniversary of a groundbreaking Iowa Supreme Court civil rights decision, Drake University is hosting a celebration, Sept. 25 - 28th. 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.

Keynote speaker at the Celebration Banquet on Friday evening will be Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Society for Human Resource Management, and the immediate past president and chief executive officer of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which represents nearly 300,000 students attending public Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In this role, he became a prolific fundraiser, amassing over $100 million in grants and gifts. As an influencer in his field and community, he was named one of the Ebony Magazine “Power 100” in 2011.

He was recently named Chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  His experience lies at the intersection of diversity and equality issues in education and the workplace, central to our celebration.

The Clark 150 Celebration will include:

1. Rededication of Cole Hall: Tuesday, Sept. 25, 12 - 1 pm ~ 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 "Participate as an individual" button above.
   
2. Simpson College, The Iowa Constitution: An Enduring Testament to Equality: Thursday, Sept. 27, 6 pm reception; 7 pm 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.
   
3. Conference: Friday, Sept. 28, 12 - 4 pm ~ 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 "Participate as an individual" button above. CLE approved for 4 hours, Activity Number: 304599.
   See the complete program below.
   
4. Banquet: Friday, Sept. 28, 5:15 - 8:30 pm ~ The celebration banquet will be held at Parents Hall in the Olmsted Building starting with a cocktail reception at 5:15 pm. The banquet begins at 6 pm, and will include a program with keynote address by Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. Tickets are $50 per individual. Please contact Terri Howard if you are interested in purchasing a table. Please register for this event by choosing the "Participate as an individual" button above. If you are Drake Faculty or Staff, please choose the "Participate as a group".
   

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

Clark 150 Conference: Past, Present and Future of Equality in Iowa

Friday, September 28, 12-4 p.m.

 Clark v. Muscatine Schools and the Historic Civil Rights Decisions of the Iowa Supreme Court

12-12:50 p.m.       Levitt Hall, Drake University (lunch will be served)

David Walker, Professor Emeritus of Law, Drake University

Paul Finkelman, President of Gratz College

The Continuing Relevance of Clark Today

1-1:50 p.m.           Sheslow Auditorium, Drake University

Tom Newkirk, Attorney and Partner, Newkirk Zwagerman Law Frim

Russ Lovell, Professor Emeritus of Law, Drake University

David Brodnax, Sr., Professor of History, Trinity Christian College

Racial Disproportionality in Iowa’s Criminal Justice System 

2-2:50 p.m.           Sheslow Auditorium, Drake University

Kevin Gannon, Professor of History, Grand View University

Alfredo Parrish, Attorney and Founding Partner, Parrish Kruidenier Law Firm

Rita Bettis, Legal Director, ACLU

Quality Education for ALL in the 21^st Century: Can We Get There from Here?

3-3:50 p.m.           Sheslow Auditorium, Drake University

Vinay Harpalani,Visiting Constitutional Law Fellow, Drake University

Melissa Sturm-Smith, Associate Provost for Academic Excellence & Student Success, Drake University

Adrien Wing, Bessie Dutton Murray Professor of Law, University of Iowa

Willie Barney, Superintendent, Meskwaki Settlement School

Special Offer for Drake Students!

If you are currently enrolled as a Drake Student, you can purchase your banquet ticket for half price, $25. Please choose the Drake Student Banquet Ticket option and be sure to enter your Drake email address for confirmation.

There will be a limited number of complimentary tickets for Drake Students, chosen by lottery. Please contact Drinda Williams to be put on the list. You will be notified via email.