USC Dornsife News

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. knew the political consequences of speaking out against the Vietnam War − and he did it anyway.

The undergrads, both of whom serve in USC Dornsife’s Agents of Change civil rights advocacy clinic, are the first at USC to receive Soros Justice Fellowships from the Open Society Foundations.

Conservatives have a long history of contorting the words of Martin Luther King Jr. to further their own political goals which often were at odds with King’s vision of a colorblind society.

USC Dornsife experts discuss the legacy of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s decision as the nation marks a day that will live on in infamy for many of the Japanese American families and their descendants. [5 min read]

The 80th anniversary of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066, which unjustly sent thousands of Japanese Americans to confinement camps, offers a chance to reflect on past mistakes and to consider what it means to be American. [5 min read]

USC’s Trojan Family Magazine features Najuma Smith-Pollard of USC Dornsife’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture and her community advocacy work. [1½ min read]

USC students will gather evidence for the Factual Analysis Citizen Consulting Team, recently launched by the Los Angeles County District Attorney to examine officer-involved fatal use-of-force incidents. [4½ min read]

Led by noted civil rights attorney Olu Orange, the Agents of Change Initiative enables students to participate in key areas of social reform. [4¾ min read]

These book recommendations from USC Dornsife scholars provide historical and cultural context regarding racism in the United States.