The legislative session is finally over. For the first three months of every year, our state lawmakers gather, debate, and pass laws to respond to the real and pressing needs of their constituents.
My school district tried to force me to go against my identity to fit their description of “Sunday best" at my high school graduation; though I lost my case, I refuse to stop being myself.
With the help of the Native American Rights Fund, the ACLU of Mississippi, and the ACLU, Zuri Wilson was able to wear an eagle feather and receive a star quilt at graduation.
Along with our advocacy, legislative, and public education work, litigation remains one of the fundamental tools with which the ACLU of Mississippi fights for equality and civil rights. See below for more information on the cases we've brought to the courts.
Javarius Russell v. City of Lexington, et al.
We filed a lawsuit on behalf of Javarius Russell, an officer for the Jackson Public School District who says his constitutional rights were violated by the Lexington Police Department. Russell is just one victim of the department's racially-motivated and discriminatory policing practices.