The United States Supreme Court Building

What Makes This SCOTUS Nomination Unique?

Presidents have always chosen Supreme Court nominees who agree with their political beliefs. But they've gotten savvier about the selection process.
Mae West Belle of the Nineties

The End of American Film Censorship

The Hays Code kept Hollywood on a short leash until the Supreme Court decided in 1952 that films were protected by the First Amendment.
The Loving Family

Loving v. Virginia and the Origins of Loving Day

Loving Day celebrates the SCOTUS decision in Loving v. Virginia in 1967 which struck down the laws of the 16 states still forbidding interracial marriage. 
Louis D. Brandeis

The Confirmation of Louis D. Brandeis

Louis D. Brandeis was confirmed as a Supreme Court justice a century ago. The protracted nomination process may sound familiar.
Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia testifies before the House Judiciary Committee's Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee on Capitol Hill May 20, 2010 in Washington, DC.

How Supreme Court Nominations Became Political Battles

The battle to secure Supreme Court justices has a long and contentious history. 
Abigail Fisher, who challenged the use of race in college admissions, joined by lawyer Edward Blum, right, speaks to reporters outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015, following oral arguments in the Supreme Court in a case that could cut back on or even eliminate affirmative action in higher education. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The Case for Abigail Fisher: A History of Affirmative-Action Cases

Three affirmative-action cases set precedent for the Supreme Court as they make a decision on Fisher vs. University of Texas.
Two suited partners exchanging rings

What Gay Marriage Looked Like in the ’70s

In 1979, sociologist Joseph Harry took a look at what that era's marriage-like relationships between gay men were like.
Confederate flag

The Psychological Power of the Confederate Flag

An experiment in Political Psychology points to just how powerful the confederate flag continues to be in stirring up racist attitudes among whites.
A pregnant woman works on a laptop

A Brief History of Pregnancy Workplace Rights

In a 1986 paper in the Journal of Public Health Policy, traced how pregnancy workplace rights has shifted over the years.