Congressman John Conyers Jr., with Dean Rudy Hasl.

The Thomas Jefferson School of Law proudly hosted the "Taking Reparations Seriously" conference on March 17-18, 2006, bringing together experts from around the country to the campus to discuss the many issues arising from the debate over reparations for slavery. Conference speakers discussed slavery and reparations as well as other instances of mass injustice, and how these mass offenses relate to broader themes such as justice, causation, group responsibility, moral culpability, racism, and forgiveness. From "reparations talk" to reparations reality, the School of Law focused on taking reparations (more) seriously.

For more information regarding speakers and abstracts of their talks, please see the conference program. The proceedings of the conference will be published in an upcoming issue of the Thomas Jefferson Law Review.

Dean Rudy Hasl welcomes all attendees to the Reparations
conference at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law
on March 17, 2006.

Thomas Jefferson Professor Bill Slomanson introduces
the speakers while also serving as a moderator.

Professor Jack Greenberg from Columbia Law School prepares
to make his presentation on March 17 during the
"Why Reparations Matter" session of the conference. Professor
Greenberg spoke on "Reparations: Politically Problematical."

Roy L. Brooks of the University of San Diego School of Law
presents his talk titled "Why Reparations Matter In A
Post-9/11 World."

Professor Robert Westley of Tulane Law School
answers questions from the audience following his presentation
titled "Reparations: A Matter of Social Devaluation."

Thomas Jefferson School of Law Assistant Professor Kaimipono
David Wenger addresses his presentation titled "Reparations Within
The Rules of Law." Professor Wenger served as co-chair of the conference.

Audience members address questions to the panelists.

Thomas Jefferson Professor Marjorie Cohn points
out a question for the four distinguished panelists.

Thomas Jefferson Professor Susan Tiefenbrun
addresses the panelists with her question.

Thomas Jefferson School of Law Assistant Professor
Richard Winchester introduces the speakers on Day Two
of the Reparations Conference on March 18, 2006.

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (Michigan, 14th Congressional District)
speaks on "Reparations: The Legislative Agenda" on March 18 at the
Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Congressman Conyers began
the day's session titled "Theorizing Reparations."

Professor Alfred L. Brophy of the University of Alabama School
of Law discusses "Realistic Reparations."

Professor and Dean's Distinguished Scholar Margaret Chon
of the Seattle University School of Law presents a slide show
presentation titled "A Million Little Pieces: Japanese
American Internment, Reparations and Historical Memory."

Eric J. Miller, an Assistant Professor at St. Louis University
Law School, concludes the morning session discussing
"Reparations for What?" on March 18, 2006.

Dr. Theodore Kornweibel, a professor emeritus in Africana Studies
at SDSU, presents on "Railroads and Reparations" during
the second session of the conference, titled "Perspectives on Reparations."

Rebecca Anita Tsosie addresses her presentation titled "Acknowledging
the Past to Heal the Future: The Role of Reparations for Native Nations." 
 Not only does Professor Tsosie teach at Arizona State University College of Law,
but she is also the College of Law's Executive Director of the Indian Legal Program.

K.J. Greene, an Associate Professor at the Thomas Jefferson School of Law,
presents an intriguing talk on "'Copynorms' and the Mass
Appropriation of Black Cultural Production: Is It Time
for Atonement for Unjust Enrichment and Cultural Distortion?"

Assistant Professor Linda M. Keller of the Thomas Jefferson School of Law
concludes the conference with her presentation titled "Seeking Justice at the
International Criminal Court: Victims' Reparations." Along with Professor Wenger,
Professor Keller served as co-chair of the conference.

Congressman John Conyers, Jr., answers a question
from the audience.

An audience member (left) has a question for the panelists.

Thomas Jefferson School of Law Associate Professor
Bryan Wildenthal addresses a question following
the panelist presentations.

Left to right: Rebecca Anita Tsosie, Linda Keller, Kaimipono David Wenger,
Ted Kornweibel, and K.J. Greene.

Left to right: Eric J. Miller, Margaret Chon, Richard Winchester,
Kaimipono David Wenger, John Conyers, Jr.,
Linda Keller, and Alfred Brophy.

Congressman John Conyers, Jr., and TJSL Assistant
Professor Richard Winchester.

Reparations conference co-chair Kaimipono David Wenger
and Congressman John Conyers, Jr.

Reparations conference co-chair Linda Keller
with Congressman John Conyers, Jr.

TJSL Professor Marjorie Cohn and Congressman John Conyers, Jr.

TJSL alumna Brenda Mason and Congressman John Conyers, Jr.

<< Back to 'Photo Gallery'