The John Marshall Harlan Collection

As "The Great Dissenter" and one of the most influential Supreme Court Justices in history, John Marshall Harlan shaped civil rights law and championed racial equality through his courageous dissents and unwavering commitment to constitutional principles.

The papers of John Marshall Harlan (1833-1911), Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Kentucky lawyer, and Republican office holder, were given to the University of Louisville by his grandson, John Marshall Harlan (1899-1971). The papers date from 1835-1930 and consist mainly of correspondence, business records and scrapbooks.

Another description of the collection can be found in the article by William E. Read and William C. Berman "Papers of the First Justice Harlan at the University of Louisville," American Journal of Legal History, vol. 11, 1967; p.57-68. Also, we now have a reproduction of Charles Thompson's article on Harlan's dissent in Plessy v. Ferguson: Harlan's Great Dissent.

The Law Library does not interloan its microfilm reels of the Harlan collection. All materials must be viewed on the premises of the University of Louisville School of Law Library.

Any comments or questions regarding the John Marshall Harlan Collection can be directed to Scott Campbell, University of Louisville Law Library, Belknap Campus, Louisville, KY 40292, 502-852-6074.