A new exhibit at the University of Virginia School of Law library is showcasing students’ picks for reading, film and other entertainment options to help grow understanding about diversity.
The exhibit is part of the school-wide “common read” of the book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness.” Sponsored by the UVA Law Diversity, Equity and Belonging Committee; the Student Bar Association; and the Black Law Students Association, the common read is designed to help build understanding during a period of social distance and in light of national protests for racial justice. Participants in the common read have joined small discussion groups to talk about the book, with other events planned to tie in over the course of the year.
Several student affinity groups participated in making the recommendations, which range from “The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu to “Notes of a Native Son” by James Baldwin to “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance. The display, “Common Read: Continuing the Conversation,” is open until May 14. Many items on the list can be checked out from the Arthur J. Morris Law Library in print, DVD or online.
“Asking for these recommendations was really about inviting more voices into the conversation about ‘The New Jim Crow,’ but the recommendations also offer a powerful list that can help build understanding among people with different perspectives and backgrounds,” said Director of Student Affairs Kate Duvall ’06, co-chair of the Diversity, Equity and Belonging Committee.
Founded in 1819, the University of Virginia School of Law is the second-oldest continuously operating law school in the nation. Consistently ranked among the top law schools, Virginia is a world-renowned training ground for distinguished lawyers and public servants, instilling in them a commitment to leadership, integrity and community service.
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