As Americans prepare to celebrate Independence Day, scholars are raising important questions about the state of freedom and equality in the United States. Susan Sturm, a distinguished legal scholar and the George M. Jaffin Professor of Law and Social Responsibility, alongside her colleagues Deborah N. Archer and L. Song Richardson, is leading a discourse on the intersection of race, institutional change, and the meaning of freedom in contemporary America.
Sturm, the founding director of the Center for Institutional and Social Change at Columbia Law School, grimly notes that the time for addressing systemic racism is now. She is of the mindset that dealing with these systemic barriers is critical to realizing social justice. Her recent work, “What Might Be: Confronting Racism to Transform Our Institutions,” offers insights into how institutions can begin to dismantle barriers that perpetuate inequality.
When Archer says this. He is professor of law at NYU Law School and the Margaret B. Hoppin Professor of Law. She reminds audiences that, like any holiday, Independence Day has a historical past. She quotes the great Frederick Douglass’s incisive query: “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” This quote serves as a poignant reminder that the celebration of freedom has not been equally experienced by all Americans.
L. Song Richardson is Chancellor’s Professor of Law at the University of California Irvine School of Law. Through the lens of racial inequity as an ex-dean, she deepens the discussion by looking at how they can take down racial inequity when viewed through legal frameworks. Together, these three scholars are advocating for a critical examination of America’s foundational values in light of ongoing racial disparities.
The dialogue initiated by Sturm, Archer, and Richardson highlights that while Independence Day symbolizes freedom for many, it simultaneously calls attention to the struggles faced by marginalized communities. The scholars argue that celebrating freedom should not come at the expense of acknowledging the systemic injustices that persist within society.
Sturm’s book is a provocation and a challenge to all institutions to start taking a hard look at their own practices and policies. As she writes, transformative change must involve an understanding of how racism operates on both individual and institutional levels. “What Might Be: Confronting Racism to Transform Our Institutions” provides a framework for envisioning a society where equity is a reality rather than an aspiration.
In President Archer’s capable hands, the ACLU fights like hell for civil liberties and social justice. They address urgent needs such as combatting racial profiling, policing reform, and protecting voting rights. Archer’s book, “Dividing Lines: How Transportation Infrastructure Reinforces Racial Inequality,” explores how urban planning and transportation policies have historically marginalized communities of color, further complicating their access to opportunities.
Richardson’s academic work complements this dialogue by examining how legal education can better prepare future lawyers to address these complex issues. She underscores the importance of integrating conversations about race and social justice into law school curricula. In doing so, we’ll prepare new generations of legal professionals to address systemic inequalities at their root.
The intersection of these scholars’ ideas forces us to reconsider how we observe Independence Day. With many members of our country denied freedom and justice until this day, this reflection is particularly poignant. They invite people to consider what freedom means to them. Perhaps more importantly, they urge a reckoning with the historical wrongs that still shape today’s landscape.
As America celebrates its independence day, Sturm, Archer, and Richardson call to attention a truth we all must recognize. Any legitimate celebration of independence cannot ignore these realities and has to take into account that for many this independence still has not been fully realized. Their shared advocacy urges us to keep pushing for a consistent nationwide conversation regarding race, justice, and institutional accountability in America.