 Code Noir |
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A set of laws in French colonies that regulated the lives of enslaved and free black people. The code primarily defined slavery, but it also expelled all Jewish people from French colonies and required Black people to be Catholic and not protestant. The Code Noir demonstrates the way enslaved people's lives were regulated under French colonial rule.
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| Constitution And By-Laws of the Sac and Fox Tribe of Missouri |
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As part of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, Native American tribes were encouraged to create tribal governments that mirrored the United States government. Many of the tribes' constitutions were essentially the same.
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| Elk v. Wilkins |
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In Elk v. Wilkins, the Supreme Court denied Native Americans United States citizenship.
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| Gonzales v. Carhart |
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In Gonzales v. Carhart, the Supreme Court ruled that a Congressional ban on partial-birth abortion was not unconstitutionaly vague.
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| In the Matter of the Application of Agnes Smith for a Writ of Habeas Corpus |
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The habeas corpus petition of Agnes Smith shows legal challenges on the part of women in the early twentieth century from carceral confinement. After she was committed to an institute for "feeble-minded youth," Agnes' parents attempted to regain custody of her. The court denied the writ, claiming that Agnes was a "fit and proper subject" for the institution.
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| In the Matter of the Application of Andrew J. Sawyer for Writ of Habeas Corpus for Chin Tu Ling, Lee Shun, and Look Fung |
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The habeas corpus petitions related to the Mee Lee Wah Village show legal challenges related to carceral confinement and immigration in the nineteenth century.
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| In the Matter of the Application of Mary Marshall, mother of William Marshall an Infant, for a Writ of Habeas Corpus |
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The habeas corpus petition of Mary Marshall shows legal challenges related to carceral confinement and child custody in the nineteenth century. After being abandoned by her husband, a mother and her three children were forced to enter a charitable home. When one child became ill, he was given to the custody of a physician. The court ruled that custody of the child was lawful, but that in six months time, the mother could petition to amend or modify the judge's order.
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| In the Matter of the Application of Standing Bear et al. for a Writ of Habeas Corpus |
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Standing Bear's writ of habeas corpus showed implications for citizenship, land dispossession, and human rights.
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| More Than a Snapshot: Will Brown's Lynching and the Violence of History |
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This teaching module discusses the history racial violence in the Midwest, featuring a webinar with Ashley Howard, author of the 2025 book, Midwest Unrest: 1960s Urban Rebellions and the Black Freedom Movement.
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| Nebraska Abortion Statute (1873) |
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The Nebraska state statute regarding abortion reflects the diverse landscape of abortion law in the nineteenth century.
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| Nebraska Abortion Statute (1929) |
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The Nebraska state statute regarding abortion reflects the diverse landscape of abortion law before Roe v. Wade.
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| Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative |
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This amendment to the Nebraska Constitution banned the use of affirmative action in the "operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting." It was initiated as a ballot measure that was approved in 2008.
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| Nebraska Vagrancy Law (1881) |
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Vagrancy acts passed by the Nebraska state legislature reflected race-neutral legal language that was used to target the poor, people of color, and women.
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| Nebraska Vagrancy Law (1929) |
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Vagrancy acts passed by the Nebraska state legislature reflected race-neutral legal language that was used to target the poor, people of color, and women.
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| Omaha Grapples with its Ugly Past (Will Brown) |
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This article looks at the legacy of the lynching of Will Brown, featuring interviews with prominent, Black Omaha community members Preston Love and Ernie Chambers, as well as University of Nebraska-Omaha Urban studies professor, Barbara Hewins-Maroney.
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 Omaha's Riot in Story & Pictures |
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This series of photographs document the race riot in Omaha that culminated in the lynching of Will Brown in front of the Douglas County Courthouse. In the first, as many as 20,000 people gather outside an already damaged courthouse. In the second, white rioters smile around the remains of the police car they had set ablaze. And in the third, federal troops guard the intersection of 24th and Lake streets, an area with a large number of Black homes and businesses.
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| Public Law 280 |
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This law gave California, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, and Wisconsin criminal and civil jurisdiction on Indian reservations, as the U.S. government resolved to terminate the special trustee relationship tribes held with the United States, eroding tribal sovereignty.
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| Remembering a dark past, renewing resolve for the future (Will Brown) |
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This article from the Omaha World Herald describes Omaha's official observance of the 100-year anniversary of the lynching of Will Brown. Omaha Mayor, Jean Stothert, spoke at the commemoration calling Will Brown's lynching one of the darkest days in our history.
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| Stenberg v. Carhart |
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The Supreme Court found, in Stenberg v. Carhart, that a Nebraska state ban on partial-birth abortion was unconstitutional.
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 The Lynching of Will Brown |
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The day after the lynching of Will Brown, the Omaha Bee devoted the first two pages of its edition to the racial terror violence enacted by a mob of white Omahans. The articles on these pages provide different perspective of the race riot, from the crowds cheering at the destruction of government buildings, to the alleged assault victim's shock at the incident. The newspaper also featured a list of victims of the mob.
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| United States, ex rel. Standing Bear, v. George Crook |
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In this case, Judge Elmer S. Dundy ruled that "an Indian is a person within the meaning of the laws of the United States," and that they were entitled to the right of expatriation. Standing Bear and 29 other Ponca had left their reservation in Indian Territory without the permission of the federal government and returned to Nebraska. They were later arrested and petitioned for a writ of habeas corpus, which was granted. Judge Dundy's opinion led to the release of the Ponca petitioners.
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| Webinar - More Than a Snapshot: Will Brown's Lynching and the Violence of History |
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In this webinar, Professor Ashley Howard of the University of Iowa discusses racial violence in the Midwest with Dr. Katrina Jagodinsky and her Rights & Wrongs in American Legal History class.
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