Justice at Home

"But we are at this moment at one of those infrequent occasions in history when convulsions have uprooted habit and tradition in a large part of the world and there exists not only opportunity, but necessity as well, to reshape some institutions and practices which sheer inertia would otherwise
make invulnerable. Because such occasions rarely come and quickly pass,
our times are put under a heavy responsibility."

-Robert H. Jackson, Rule of Law Among Nations

Welcome to Justice at Home, a special edition newsletter from the Robert H. Jackson Center that hits your inbox every 3 weeks with updates on our virtual programming, lesson plans and lectures, and interesting finds from our digital archives. 

If you enjoy this newsletter, please forward this email to a friend and share it on your social media pages. Make sure to tag us (@roberthjacksoncenter) and use the hashtag #JusticeatHome.

Tea Time with the Jackson Center 

Tea Time with the Jackson Center takes both a look back at Jackson's place in history and a look forward showing how his legacy influences current events.

Our next Tea Time with the Jackson Center is Thursday, December 3 at 3pm. This Tea Time will focus on issues of justice at the local, national, and international levels, while also introducing our program theme for 2021, "The Work Left to Do." 

If you have a Facebook account, follow RHJC's page and Kristan's page. You can interact with us and ask questions of our guests by commenting on the video during the live stream. If you don't have a Facebook account, you can still watch the Teas on the Center's public Facebook page. If you aren't able to catch it live, we post the videos to our YouTube Channel and Facebook page the following day.

Other recent #TeawithRHJC guests have included:

Rebecca Cokley, the director of the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress. Rebecca and Kristan discussed the progress of the disability rights movement.

Ruth Marcus, deputy editorial page editor for The Washington Post. Ruth and Kristan spoke about Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation process, looked at some of the cases the Court is slated, or anticipated to hear and discussed the Court’s impact and possible trajectories.

Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, and share the videos with your family and friends on social media using the hashtag #TeawithRHJC.

Coming Up at the Jackson Center

The Center is closed Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Saturday, November 21: Opening Statement Virtual World Premiere

Keep an eye on our website and YouTube channel for the world premiere of our video commemorating the 75th anniversary of Robert H. Jackson’s Opening Statement as U.S. Chief of Counsel at Nuremberg in the most 2020 way possible: as a virtual reading. Readers include the founding prosecutors from the modern era international criminal tribunals – David Crane, Richard Goldstone, Luis Moreno Ocampo, and Robert Petit, Navi Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, RHJC Board members and staff, students, interns, teachers, and other friends of the Center.

Monday, November 30 at 11am-An Interview with Harry Carl Schaub, Author of Call Your First Witness

Join us for a free program with Harry Carl Schaub, attorney and author of the book Call Your First Witness: The Untold Story of Abwehr General Erwin Lahousen, First U.S. Witness at the Nuremberg Trial. General Lahousen’s inside knowledge of the Third Reich and the intelligence he gathered over the course of his military career proved invaluable in convicting some of the most infamous war criminals in history, many of whom recognized and loudly proclaimed him a traitor as he took to the witness stand in the Nuremberg Palace of Justice on November 30, 1945.

Greg Peterson, co-founder of the Robert H. Jackson Center and partner in the law firm of Phillips Lytle LLP will interview Schaub about the research and work involved in compiling this compelling biography.

Registration is required for this program. Click here to register via Zoom. The recording of the program will be emailed to all registrants and the interview will be available on the Center’s social media channels.

Tuesday, December 1-Giving Tuesday

Join the Robert H. Jackson's Center Giving Tuesday campaign on December 1st and become a member our Bench Circle. With a gift of just $10 or more per month, you can sustain our mission and work. Keep an eye on your inbox and our social media channels for ways you can partner with us during this 24-hour giving day.

Monday, December 14-Founders Day

Join RHJC staff, Board and friends, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Robert H. Jackson Center.

Tuesday, December 15 at 3pm-Election Update with Electoral College expert Ned Foley

The Jackson Center again welcomes electoral college expert Ned Foley for a free webinar. He will take us through whether and how the Electoral College functioned in our most recent election, as well as provide updates and arguments for and against electoral college reform in light of this. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions, and the webinar will be recorded. Click here to register for this free webinar.

December 31 at 8pm-World’s Largest Virtual Wine Tasting: NYE with Bag & String!
Join Sam Whitmore of Bag & String Wine Merchants, and 10,000 of your closest friends for what is planned to be the world's largest virtual wine tasting. We hope you will be a part of this record-breaking event! Find out more at bagandstringwine.com. A significant percentage of the proceeds will benefit the Jackson Center.

Jackson's Opening Statement at Nuremberg

On November 21, 1945, Robert H. Jackson delivered his opening statement at U.S. Chief of Counsel before the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg, Germany. You can see excerpts from his statement, deemed a "masterpiece" by The New Yorker, by clicking on the video above. You'll be redirected to the Center's YouTube channel-be sure to subscribe while you're there!

This Month in Jackson History

November 15, 1935: On Friday evening, November 15, 1935, Robert Jackson spoke at the dedication of the newly-constructed Jamestown High School building. His speech is contained in his papers in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., Box 32.

November 21, 1945: In the Palace of Justice at Nuremberg, Germany, Justice Robert H. Jackson, Chief of Counsel for the United States, made his opening statement to the International Military Tribunal. You can read a transcription of the speech on our website here.

From Jackson's Desk

Robert H. Jackson was a gifted orator and writer. Many of his articles and speech transcripts are housed on our website. We feature them in our weekly #TuesdayMotivation and #SundayQuote on the Jackson Center's social media pages. 

On September 1, 1949 Justice Jackson addressed the Canadian Bar Association on Nuremberg in retrospect: 

"Of course a first attempt to conduct an international criminal trial against the highest surviving officials of a once powerful state for crimes against the peace of the world and the dignity of mankind was bound to cause lasting controversy. As contemporaries we all lack the perspective to anticipate the verdict of history on this effort. Those whose energies were engaged in the struggle lack objectivity most of all. But I recognize that there is room for honest and intelligent difference of opinion as to many aspects of the enterprise."

Read the entire address here.

From the Archives

This photo of Jackson speaking at the podium in Nuremberg is from the collection of Raymond D’Addario. D’Addario was assigned to the Army Pictorial Service Headquarters in London. At the end of the war, the 26-year old native of Holyoke, MA traveled to Nuremberg, Germany to photograph the trial of the major Nazi war criminals. The Jackson Center has 19 of Ray’s photographs on permanent display, with additional photos in our digital archives. Find out more about this exhibit here.

Join the Bench Circle

By becoming a Bench Circle monthly or quarterly donor, you will help the Jackson Center reach across the country and around the globe to provide the educational resources that spark civil conversations and link generations to learn important lessons from history as we become our best civic selves. Your sustained support will bring new audiences to the table in innovative ways through our dynamic programs, for all ages, to address issues of law that effect our local, national and international communities each year. Scheduled gifts of any amount, per month or quarter, will give the Jackson Center the assurance that we can continue providing the highest quality programming available.