My first encounter with the Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. Institute was during my senior year of high school, when my AP U.S. Government class visited the courthouse for an afternoon. During this visit, we were given a tour of the federal courthouse, including the historic courtroom where Judge Johnson once served. Additionally, we completed the Institute’s Civil Discourse and Difficult Decisions program, a program that teaches participants how to engage in thoughtful civil discourse through the use of a mock court case.
Read more2023 Year in Review
The Johnson Institute had a breakout year in 2023!
Read moreThe Johnson Institute Featured on Capitol Journal
Executive Director Thomas Rains appeared recently on Capitol Journal—a public affairs program produced by Alabama Public Television and hosted by Todd Stacy—to discuss the Johnson Institute, Judge Johnson’s role in the Civil Rights Movement, and the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.
Read moreUniversity of Alabama Law Students Visit Courthouse
On Friday August 9, the first-year law students from the University of Alabama School of Law visited the Frank Johnson Courthouse to learn about the Middle District of Alabama as part of their new student orientation. The entire incoming class of 1Ls plus faculty and staff from the law school attended the event.
Read moreSummer Intern Reflects on Her Experience at the Johnson Institute
Madeha Javed
In 2018, I moved from Azad Kashmir in Pakistan to the United States in the middle of my sophomore year of high school, feeling more confused than ever. While I couldn’t bring much with me from Kashmir, I made sure to carry my passion for helping others and providing a sense of relief. This passion ignited my interest in law, which was solidified during my senior year of high school. My AP Government teacher, Ms. Kellye Self, gave everyone a copy of the U.S. Constitution and encouraged us to read it, even if we found it boring.
Read moreJohnson Institute Hosts 2024 Scholars Conference
Elizabeth Ray
From July 9th through the 11th, The Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr. Institute successfully held its 2024 Scholars Conference. The conference was attended by middle and high school educators from five different states who teach a variety of courses.
Read moreCelebrating History: The Faith and Politics Institute visits the Historic Judge Frank Johnson Jr. Courtroom
The Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. Institute hosted a momentous event in America’s Courtroom, the historic courtroom of Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr., with a visit from the Faith & Politics Institute. Approximately 175 visitors from Washington, DC, including Members of Congress, filled the courtroom for the morning program that celebrated the history of several historic cases that changed the nation—paying homage to Judge Johnson's profound impact on American History, civil rights, and the events that took place in the courtroom.
Theater artists from Alabama State University performed a modified version of "Faces of a King," which is based heavily on court transcripts. The program offered insight into Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s struggles for justice with poignant excerpts from testimony by a young John Lewis given in that courtroom during Williams v. Wallace, the case of the Selma March, in 1965. The Johnson Institute first commissioned Faces of a King to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January of this year.
Eleventh Circuit Judge Joel F. Dubina then reflected on the landmark case of Williams v. Wallace, providing valuable legal insights and highlighting Judge Johnson's role, while sharing his memories of the Selma March.
Chief U.S. District Judge Emily C. Marks presided over the event, and Johnson Institute Board of Directors Co-Chair Debbie Long articulated the mission of the Johnson Institute, emphasizing its commitment to Constitutional and civics education.
A Historic Celebration: Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
We are excited to share a video from the recent “Inaugural Celebration: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." This program was hosted by the Middle District of Alabama and The Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. Institute for the court community as a tribute to the enduring impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.
The Honorable Myron H. Thompson and The Honorable W. Keith Watkins contributed to the program with their insightful "50 Miles and 50 Years" segment about their lives growing up in Tuskegee and Troy, AL, respectively. The discussion provided a profound reflection on the progress made and the challenges we still face. Additionally, students from the Alabama State University College of Visual and Performing Arts performed highlights from Dr. King’s life, including excerpts from his testimony in Williams v Wallace (1965), the case that authorized the Selma-to-Montgomery March.
We are pleased to share the video below of “50 Miles and 50 Years” and encourage you to take a moment to watch this thoughtful discussion between judges of the Middle District of Alabama.
If you would like more information about “America’s Courtroom” and the cases that were decided here, please visit our website to request a tour. Join us to experience the historic setting for yourself, bringing to life the rulings that changed our country. https://www.thejohnsoninstitute.org/
Judge Johnson Institute Expands Online Learning Offerings with “The First Amendment and the Civil Rights Movement”
The Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. Institute is announcing the unique, in-kind gift to the Institute of “The First Amendment and the Civil Rights Movement,” text and materials comprising an online course developed in partnership between Florida’s Stetson University and the Freedom Forum of Washington, DC.
Read moreYou Can Support Constitutional and Civics Education
Wow, what a year! The Judge Frank Johnson Institute was off to the races as soon as 2023 began, and we haven’t slowed down since. There is a nationwide desire to learn about the U.S. Constitution, the judiciary, and Montgomery’s history, and the Johnson Institute is rising to meet the need to foster thoughtful and civil discourse.
Over the course of 2023, we’ve met this need through the following means…
Read moreElevate Your Teaching with The Johnson Institute 2024 Scholars Conference!
Are you a dedicated educator, passionate about infusing vibrancy into your teaching? Whether you're a seasoned social studies guru, a civics aficionado, or an eager pedagogue yearning for captivating narratives to illuminate your classroom, we've got exciting news to share!
The Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. Institute will hold its annual Scholars Conference July 9-11, 2024 in Montgomery, Alabama.
Read moreAlabama Council for the Social Studies
On October 6th the Johnson Institute joined a robust community of educators, administrators, higher education institutions, and learning partners at the annual Alabama Council for the Social Studies conference.
Read moreSocial Studies Standards in the Court: 7th Grade
Did you know visiting the Frank M. Johnson Courthouse and Federal Building aligns with Alabama State Social Studies Standards for 7th Grade Civics?
Read moreFMJI, JSU Co-Host Free Speech Forum
At the top of the Houston Cole Library on a warm October evening, the Johnson Institute joined with the American Democracy Project at Jacksonville State University to co-host a Free Speech Forum.
Read moreFreedom Rides Museum, Rosa Parks Museum, and Johnson Institute Present to ASALH at 108th Annual Meeting and Conference
In the heart of Jacksonville, Florida, ASALH held its annual conference in late September, and representatives from the Judge Frank Johnson Jr. Institute, the Rosa Parks Museum and the Freedom Rides Museum in Montgomery, AL, orchestrated a compelling roundtable discussion on Black resistance during the Civil Rights Movement.
Read moreStudent Advocates view Closing Arguments
A primary function of the Judge Frank Johnson Institute is to host groups eager to visit the courthouse. Groups vary from business people to tourists, from students to civic engagement organizations. The focus of the visits range from historical presentations to viewing court proceedings. On September 19, twenty-eight students from the newly renamed Johnson-Abernathy-Graetz (J.A.G.) High School in Montgomery attended closing arguments at the Frank Johnson Courthouse of a compelling case…
Read moreThe Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. Institute 2022 Year in Review
Social Studies Standards in the Courtroom Series
By Caroline Harris
Hi there, we are The Judge Frank Johnson Institute. We exist as a non-partisan voice that shares the stories of our Constitution and our Judiciary through programs that illuminate issues and perspectives, foster thoughtful and civil discourse, and inspire our national community in our nation’s never-ending pursuit of a more perfect union.
We’ve been around since 2019, growing and learning on how to best live out our mission. Over the past four years we’ve had the pleasure of hosting over 2,300 visitors at the Frank Johnson, Jr. Federal Building in Montgomery, Alabama. Visitors have ranged from professional groups to students of all ages.
Each visit was unique and presented an opportunity to learn how best to foster constitutional education through history. We’ve honed our visits to three main areas of interest:
1). Civics: The U.S. Constitution and the Judiciary
2). History: Civil Rights Cases decided in America’s Courtroom
3). History: Sharing the legacy of Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr.
One of our flagship programs is the Johnson Institute Scholars Conference, a three-day convening at the Frank Johnson Courthouse for middle and high school civics and social studies educators. Summer 2023 was our second in-person conference. The conference offers sessions taught by federal judges highlighting the judicial system, anatomy of criminal and civil cases, and historical significance of cases decided in “America’s Courtroom.”
America’s Courtroom in the Frank Johnson Courthouse
A significant take-away from this year’s 2023 Scholars Class was the opportunity to share how The Johnson Institute can help educators meet specific social studies standards.
In the following months, we will be writing a blog series titled Standards in the Courtroom. We will highlight specific standards across grade levels, how students can experience the U.S. Constitution and Judiciary in action and learn about historic civil rights cases by sitting in the courtroom where some of these landmark cases were decided.
Already interested in scheduling a visit? Click here to contact our team!
Celebrating Constitution Day 2023
Celebrating Constitution Day 2023
By Caroline Harris
What once began as “I am an American Day,” made official by President Roosevelt in 1939, has morphed into our current Constitution Day.
September 17th is an annual observance for the impactful day when the United States Constitution was ratified and signed in 1787.
It is a day to take time to celebrate and explore the extraordinary document that is the United States Constitution. Not only the document itself but the impact on the lives of United States citizens.
This year, September 17th falls on a Sunday. However, the entire week can be dedicated to our country’s ruling document.
All one needs to do is type “Constitution Day” into a search engine for numerous articles, blog posts, and videos to pop up. While I’m sure each resource is helpful, here are a few that can be easily implemented in a classroom or at home.
From iCivics, explore their Constitution Day Activities page!
From the The National Archives, browse through their Celebrating Constitution Day video resources!
From the U.S. Courts, find a quick 10-minute activity highlighted on their Constitution Day and Citizenship Day page!
From the Center for Civic Education, check out their Principles of the Constitution learning module!
From the Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr., Institute, learn the impact Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. had on the U.S. Constitution in a panel discussion video from Constitution Day 2020!
Come visit the Frank Johnson Federal Building with us where visitors learn about the U.S. Constitution and the federal Judiciary! Click here to set up a tour.
Happy Constitution Day!
Johnson Institute Executive Director Thomas Rains interviewed on Steve Flowers’ Alabama Politics
Thomas Rains, executive director of the Judge Frank Johnson Institute, was recently interviewed on Alabama Politics with Steve Flowers. In the interview, Rains discusses the Johnson Institute and its work at the Frank Johnson Courthouse in Montgomery, including civics and Constitutional education, courthouse tours, as well as some history about Judge Frank Johnson.
Flowers is a lifelong friend of Senior District Judge Keith Watkins, a charter board member of the Johnson Institute.