"What is history? An echo of the past in the future; a reflex from the future on the past."
Victor Hugo
On July 11, Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird celebrated its 50th anniversary. It has been voted one of the most inspirational books of all time, and Atticus Finch is a model of integrity for lawyers. The novel, which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, won a Pulitzer Prize. The film won three of the eight Academy Awards for which it was nominated including Best Adapted Screenplay. The themes of injustice and racial prejudice in To Kill a Mockingbird continue to resonate today as a highly readable, timeless classic of American literature.
If you are looking for other page-turners, check out the Verdict of History, Michigan's story of this state's legal heritage. The Verdict of History profiles 20 of the most significant opinions written by the Michigan Supreme Court from the 1860 frontier murder trial of Pond v People to the 1994 case of Jack Kevorkian. The Verdict of History project is online with links to additional material including the original court opinions (and, in the case of Sherwood v Walker, bovine-inspired poetry) at http://www.micourthistory.org/verdict_history_cases.php. Hard copies of the Verdict of History are also available by contacting the Society at 517/ 373-7589 or cpickett@micourthistory.org.
Attention middle school and high school history and civics teachers! The Society has developed a lesson plan that accompanies the Verdict of History. The lesson plan includes an overview of Michigan's judicial system, mini-moot court materials, and much more. Contact the Society for ordering information. The Verdict of History lesson plan can be used on its own or in conjunction with two-week lesson plans developed for both the middle school and high school levels. These are available via our website at http://www.micourthistory.org/education.php or by contacting the Society.
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