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Archive: April 2013 (26 Posts)

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

South Africa Freedom Day

Posted by: Hanibal Goitom

Today marks the 19th anniversary of South Africa’s first multiracial, democratic elections, known to South Africans as Freedom Day.  This is a day of great significance in South Africa’s history as “a landmark in the inauguration of a non-racial democracy” after a long history of colonialism, segregation  and Apartheid. Much has been written about Apartheid …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Capitol Dome Tholos – Pic of the Week

Posted by: Donna Sokol

The following is a guest post by David Mao, Law Librarian of Congress.  He has previously guest posted New Year’s Greetings, Justifying Speed, Food for Thought,  Another Trip Down Memory Lane, 2012 Burton Awards – Pic of the Week, Shreddy: From the Office of the Law Librarian – Pic of the Week,  From the Desk of the Law …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

John Lilburne, Oaths and the Cruel Trilemma

Posted by: Nathan Dorn

Imagine a court that could force you to incriminate yourself.  It might go about its work like this: you are made to stand before a judge who refuses to give you any details about the charge laid against you.  You are forced to take an oath before your God to answer truthfully any questions that …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

213 Is a Lot of Candles: Happy Birthday Library of Congress

Posted by: Barbara Bavis

This post is authored by Dr. John Y. Cole, Director of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.  Donna previously blogged about the birthday of the Law Library of Congress, which is on July 14, 1832. Today is the 213th birthday of the Library of Congress.  I’ve been hooked on the institution’s …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Keeping up to Date at the ASIL Annual Meeting

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

The following is a guest post by Peter Roudik, Director of Legal Research at the Law Library of Congress. For the majority of Washingtonians the cherry blossoms signal the start of Spring.  However, there is another event that marks the arrival of Spring for international lawyers: the annual meeting of the American Society of International …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

In God We Trust

Posted by: Margaret Wood

When I began my research on the history of this national motto which prominently appears on U.S. currency, I glanced at the Wikipedia article on “In God we trust.”  The entry contends that the motto was inspired by the fourth verse of the Star Spangled Banner: “Then conquer we must, when our cause is just, And …