Ann Fagan Ginger facts for kids

Ann Fagan Ginger (born July 11, 1925) is an American lawyer, teacher, and writer. She is also known as a political activist. She started the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute in Berkeley, California, and was its Executive Director for many years.

Who is Ann Fagan Ginger?

Ann Fagan Ginger is an expert in human rights and peace law. This means she works to protect people's basic rights and promote peace, both in the U.S. and around the world. She has written 22 books and many articles. She has also taught law at several universities.

Her Early Life and Education

Ann Fagan Ginger was born in 1925 in East Lansing, Michigan. Her parents believed strongly in social justice. She graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1947. She was one of only eight women in her class. There, she met her husband, historian Ray Ginger.

Starting Her Legal Career

Ann Ginger first worked as a labor lawyer in Ohio. Later, she moved to Boston with her husband. They faced challenges because of their beliefs and had to move to New York City. Ann Ginger then began working for the National Lawyers Guild. This group helps lawyers who work for civil rights. She also raised two children during this time. From 1954 to 1959, she became the editor of the Guild's professional magazine, The Guild Practitioner.

Fighting for Civil Rights

In 1955, Ginger started collecting and publishing the Civil Liberties Docket. This was a collection of important information about civil rights and civil liberties court cases. Much of this information was hard to find elsewhere.

In 1962, she was the only woman lawyer at a special meeting in Atlanta. This meeting brought together black and white attorneys. It was held by the Guild and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. At this meeting, she spoke up for the Civil Rights Movement. She also supported women's rights.

In 1963, Ann Ginger moved to Berkeley, California. She hired law students to help her keep the Docket updated. There were many new court cases about school desegregation and other civil rights issues. One student, Michael Tigar, later called her a "superb editor and writer."

Founding the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute

In 1965, Ann Ginger started her own non-profit organization. It was called the Meiklejohn Civil Liberties Institute in Berkeley. She named it after a famous scholar named Alexander Meiklejohn. The institute works to protect human rights and civil liberties.

Important Legal Victories

In 1959, Ann Ginger argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court and won. This case protected the rights of a person being investigated by a state committee in Ohio. She also served on the City of Berkeley Commission on Peace and Justice for many years. In 1993, she published a book about Carol Weiss King, a pioneering lawyer who helped immigrants.

Selected Books by Ann Fagan Ginger

Ann Fagan Ginger has written many books about law and human rights. Here are a few examples:

• The Law, the Supreme Court, and the People's Rights [1977]
• Jury Selection in Civil and Criminal Trials [1984]
• The Cold War Against Labor [1987]
• Carol Weiss King: Human Rights Lawyer (1895-52) [1993] (This book is about her mentor, Carol Weiss King)
• Nuclear Weapons Are Illegal: The Historic Opinion of the World Court and How It Will Be Enforced [1998]
• Human Rights and Peace Law in the U.S. [2003]
• Landmark Cases Left Out Of Your Textbooks (editor) [2006]