Newark, NJ: The Newark Public Library will be kicking off Black History Month this year with an exhibit and a variety of related programs to commemorate the achievements of prominent African-American lawyers and judges.

The presentation will commence on Jan. 27 with the exhibit "Fiat Justitia, Let Justice Be Done," featuring legal memos, documents, articles and artifacts used in landmark court cases like The Amistad, Jena Six and the Dred Scott decision on display until March 20 in the Main Library's second floor gallery. Curated by Sandra L. West, associate in the Library's James Brown African-American Room, the exhibit will also feature lesser-known practitioners who were key players in significant American cases.

"When we reflect on the struggle for equal rights for African-Americans, we have a tendency to focus on the marches, sit-ins and protests that were carried out in the streets of Birmingham, Greensboro and Washington, D.C.," said Library Director Wilma J. Grey. "This exhibit and panel discussion will focus on the battles that were fought off the streets – in the courtroom. It will spotlight the legal victories that were as important as the protests taking place and pay tribute to the African-American lawyers and judges who blazed a trail for future generations."

West said this year's Black History Month at the Newark Public Library will be a bright teaching moment to rejuvenate intellect and curiosity regarding black studies.

"From the second floor gallery exhibition, to lectures and panel discussions, video screenings and musical concerts, patrons will learn about the history, struggles and civil rights accomplishments of African-American lawyers and judges. There is so much to learn," she stated.

West noted that patrons can learn about the stories of notable African-Americans at the exhibit including Bilal Muhammad, a kidnapped African who wrote a book in Arabic on Sapelo's Island about laws in his former country, and James Weldon Johnson, Esq. who wrote "The Negro National Anthem." At the exhibit, attendees can also explore the life of Paul Robeson, Esq., an actor, humanitarian, vocalist and civil rights worker who quit his career as an attorney when a law firm secretary refused to take dictation from an African-American.

The Black History Month celebration will also open with a panel discussion on Wednesday, January 27 at 6 p.m. titled, "How Do We Navigate Race & Racism in This Age of Obama?" located at the Main Library's Centennial Hall at 5 Washington St. Attorney Jacquelyn R. Rucker, retired senior staff counsel in the New Jersey Law Office of The Hartford Insurance Company, will moderate the discussion and soprano Jacquetta Young-Davis will open the program with a performance of "Lift Every Voice and Sing."

Panelists for the discussion include Dr. S.E. Anderson, Brecht Forum Board of Directors; Joan P. Gibbs, Esq., general counsel for the Medgar Evers College Center for Law and Social Justice and project director of the Medgar Evers College Immigration Center and David Dante Troutt, Esq., author and Professor of Law, Rutgers School of Law.

Federal Judge Robert L. Carter, one of the attorneys who represented the NAACP before the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education, will be a special guest. Carter, a federal judge for the Southern District of New York since 1972, was raised in Newark and East Orange and currently resides in New York.

Born in Florida in 1917, Carter moved to Newark when he was an infant. He attended Barringer High School and East Orange High School, graduating at the age of 16. Carter earned his legal degrees at Howard University and Columbia University. In 1941, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he experienced abject racism, instilling in him a lifelong commitment to fight discrimination.

After leaving the Army in 1944, he accepted a job to work as the chief legal assistant to Thurgood Marshall at the NAACP. Carter was part of the legal team that represented the NAACP when it appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court in Brown vs. Board of Education. He is also credited with using psychological and sociological studies to make the case that separate facilities were inherently not equal. Those studies demonstrated the harmful effects of segregation, which led the high court to call for an end to segregation in public schools.

Carter became legal counsel at the NAACP in 1955 and went on to argue 22 cases before the Supreme Court, winning 21 of them. In 1972, President Richard Nixon appointed him to the federal bench.

Funding for the Library's Black History celebration comes from a PNC Foundation grant. Northern New Jersey Regional President of PNC Linda Bowden says the example set by African-American attorneys and judges has inspired generations of Americans to work toward equality.

"We are honored to support the Newark Public Library in highlighting the triumphs experienced by African-Americans in the law and the judiciary," Bowden said. "Their vigilance and determination to challenge unjust laws in court have a lasting impact many decades later."

In addition to the opening night program, the Library will present several other panels and musical programs to mark Black History month.

Sarah Carter Perry Brown, 106, will share recipes at a book signing of "Aunt Sarah's Recipes For A Long and Spirited-Filled Life: Wisdom and Soulful Lessons From a 105-Year-Old Matriarch" on Saturday, February 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Centennial Hall. Written by her great-niece, Caryl R. Lucas, Brown shares remedies and secrets for longevity and faith. Lucas will appear with Brown at the signing.

Several prominent local judges and lawyers will gather Wednesday, February 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Centennial Hall to discuss their lives, the values that shaped their legal careers and the struggles they overcame. The discussion, "Dreams from Our Fathers," will feature attorney Raymond Brown, Jr.; Judge Harold Fullilove; Sr., Judge Harold Fullilove, Jr.; attorney Tamara Britt; Judge Julien X. Neals, corporation counsel for the City of Newark; and Judge Randolph Jackson, Justice of the Supreme Court of New York.

The Library's program will continue on Saturday, March 6 with a performance from the Camille Thurman Quartet in Centennial Hall from noon to 2 p.m. Thurman, a New Yorker, has played the saxophone since she was 14. She performed at the 2009 International Women in Jazz Festival, the seventh annual Lady's Got Chops Jazz Festival and the Newark Bethany Baptist Church Jazz vespers. She is planning to release her first album soon.

One week later, Courtney Bryan, a native of New Orleans and her trio, The Courtney Bryan Trio will also play in Centennial Hall from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 13.

All programs are free and open to the public. For more information or to arrange a tour of the exhibit, please call 973-733-5411. In case of inclement weather, please call 973-733-7800 to determine whether the Library is open.