Joan Mahoney facts for kids
Joan Mahoney is an important legal expert and a former leader of two law schools. She was born in 1943. She made history by becoming the first woman to be a law school dean in Michigan. A "dean" is like the main leader or principal of a school or college within a university.
From 1998 to 2003, she was the Dean at Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, Michigan. Before that, from 1994 to 1996, she was the Dean of Western New England College School of Law in Springfield, Massachusetts. It's quite rare for someone to be a dean at two different law schools!
Early Life and Education
Joan Mahoney was born in New York City. Her parents were Beatrice Shishko and writer William B. Mahoney. She grew up in a family that cared a lot about fairness and making society better for everyone.
She studied at the University of Chicago, where she earned her first two degrees. Later, she studied law at Wayne State Law School and earned her law degree there. She also earned a PhD from Wolfson College at the University of Cambridge in England.
Working for Change
While she was at the University of Chicago, Joan Mahoney was part of a group called the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). This group worked to end unfair treatment based on race. She took part in peaceful protests called "sit-ins" at the University of Chicago, even alongside Bernie Sanders.
She also joined the historic Selma to Montgomery marches in Alabama. These marches were a big part of the Civil Rights Movement, which fought for equal rights for all people.
Legal Career and Writings
Joan Mahoney is a respected legal expert. She has written many articles and books about important legal topics. These topics include the history of law, the rights people have under the law, and how laws compare in different countries.
One of her books, written with Dr. Keith Ewing and Andrew Moretta, is called MI 5, the Cold War, and the Rule of Law. It was published in 2020. You can learn more about it here: MI 5, the Cold War, and the Rule of Law.
After retiring, she moved to the United Kingdom. However, she soon returned to teaching part-time at the University of Southampton. Her sister, Martha R. Mahoney, is also a Professor of Law at the University of Miami School of Law.
