The Making of Modern Law:
A unique perspective on civil liberties through the lens of history
In recent years, decades-long movements in civil liberties have been at the forefront of the news. The struggle for civil rights and liberties defines our past and affects our present. Students and researchers can immerse themselves in civil rights history like never before with our new archive American Civil Liberties Union Papers, 1912-1990, part of the Making of Modern Law collection. Drawing from the records of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), it focuses on civil rights, race, gender, and issues relating to the U.S. Supreme Court— topics intensely relevant to today’s curriculum and debates at both national and local levels.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has throughout its history consistently stood at the center of controversies involving the rights of Americans. Its records offer researchers a unique view of the inner workings of the organization and the hundreds of groups with which the ACLU interacted. Covering the years from before the ACLU’s official founding in 1920 through the 20th century, this archive offers an array of primary source materials on some of the most important issues that affected the United States.
Access quality resources This easy-to-use digital collection contains more than 2 million pages held at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library at Princeton University.
Make connections like never before Integrate content from complementary primary source products in one intuitive environment, the Gale Primary Sources Platform—uncovering new connections between history and the issues facing us today.
Explore 80 years of controversies surrounding the rights of Americans The ACLU’s records span from before its founding in 1920 through the twentieth century. Its records offer researchers a unique view of the inner workings of the organization and the hundreds of groups with which it interacted.
Dive deep into important issues Contribute to the mainstream narrative through the evolution of topics such as race, identity, gender rights, worker’s rights, popular protest, the role of government, and more.
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FEATURED REVIEW
"This rich and absorbing database will find a broad range of uses. It is suitable for large public libraries but is especially apt for academic institutions that support the study of law, history, sociology, race, and gender."
- eReviews, March 2017
Additional Details
subjects covered
- Black Studies
- African-American Studies
- Gender & Women's Studies
- LGBTQ
- Humanities & Social Sciences
- Law & Legal Studies
- Government
- Political Science & Diplomatic Studies
- U.S. History
Platform Features & Tools
Term Frequency
Researchers can see the frequency of search terms within sets of content to begin identifying central themes and assessing how individuals, events, and ideas interact and develop over time.
Topic Finder
By grouping commonly occurring themes, this tool reveals hidden connections within search terms—helping to shape research by integrating diverse content with relevant information.
Cross-Search Capability
Search across the content of complementary primary source products in one intuitive environment, enabling innovative new research connections.
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