The Ever-evolving Definition of America's History and Tradition

The Alabama Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Law Review is proud to announce its symposium The Ever-evolving Definition of Americas History and Tradition, to be hosted on February 6, 2026, at The University of Alabama School of Law. This symposium will examine the Roberts Court's growing reliance on historical analysis, reflecting a shift towards originalism that has reshaped the Court's interpretation of civil rights and liberties. 
Keynote Speaker Deborah Archer plays several roles in the realm of civil rights and liberties, but some of the most notable include her role as President of the American Civil Liberties Union and Faculty Director of the Community Equity Initiative at New York University School of Law. Her keynote address will connect our panelists' discussions on history and tradition while capturing the present and future landscape of fundamental rights. 
The first panel will assess the expansion of executive power in the context of the First Amendment. Specifically, panelists will consider the effects of such power on administrative agencies, educational institutions, and private legal entities. 
The second panel will explore the profound shift in Second Amendment jurisprudence following the Supreme Court's landmark decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen 
(2022). This panel will also address the striking contrast in the Court's more recent ruling in United States v. Rahimi (2023). 
The third panel will engage in a critical discussion of the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization (2022), which overturned Roe v. Wade (1973) substantive due process jurisprudence. 
The fourth and final panel will focus on how the Supreme Court can account for differences in history and tradition, with a specific emphasis on countermovements like the Civil Rights Movement and the Second Founding.