We Are Losing a Generation of Civil-Rights Memories
America’s response to the pandemic harkens back to ugly times in our country’s history. But to recognize that, we need to know our elders’ stories.
The Battle For The Constitution
A special project on the constitutional debates in American life, in partnership with the National Constitution Center
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This work was commissioned, produced, and edited by The Atlantic's editorial staff. Support for this work was provided in part by the organizations listed here.
Support for this project was provided by the Madison Initiative of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
States Are Using the Pandemic to Roll Back Americans’ Rights
Some state governments are criminalizing and censoring lawful speech under the guise of protecting public health.
Americans’ Faith in Law Is at Stake in the DACA Case
The Supreme Court has the opportunity to prove to the country that despite all the hardships that surround us, humanity is not dead, and cruelty does not rule the day.
The Important First Amendment Principle Now at Risk
The Supreme Court may hear a case that will test the country’s commitment to protecting protest organizers.
The Coronavirus Is Testing America’s Commitment to People’s Constitutional Rights
The government’s reaction to COVID-19 in jails and ICE detention facilities must follow settled legal precedent on acceptable conditions of confinement. The pandemic does not change that obligation.
Hamilton Would Not Have Stood for Trump’s New Constitutional Theory
Even the Founding Father with the most expansive view of executive power would have found Trump’s recent constitutional ideas troubling.
Trump Is Threatening to Subvert the Constitution
A president cannot just make Congress disappear when he wishes.
The Flaw in the President’s Newest Constitutional Argument
At a technical, legal level, Donald Trump’s proposal to force Congress to adjourn doesn’t hold up.
America’s COVID-19 Disaster Is a Setback for Democracy
If the country’s institutions cannot function effectively during a crisis, and especially if a view takes hold that authoritarian regimes are managing the crisis more decisively, a grim future lies ahead.
Zoom Congress Is Perfectly Constitutional
A belief seems to persist among some on Capitol Hill that the Constitution requires members’ physical presence to do the nation’s business. This is false.