CHICAGO — With its mission of bringing the spirit of famed attorney and social justice advocate Clarence Darrow to bear on contemporary issues, this year's Darrow commemoration and symposium will focus on the Right of Revolution speech Darrow made 125 years ago in Chicago, which might just as well have been made today.
"With the land and possessions of America rapidly passing into the hands of a favored few; with great corporations taking the place of individual effort; with the small shops going down before the great factories and department stores.... with the knowledge that the servants of the people, elected to correct abuses, are bought and sold in legislative halls at the bidding of corporations and individuals: with all these notorious evils sapping the foundations of popular government and destroying personal liberty, some rude awakening must come," Darrow warned in 1895.
On Wednesday, March 13, the Clarence Darrow Commemorative Committee will invoke and honor Darrow's words during its annual flower-tossing ceremony at the Clarence Darrow Bridge in Hyde Park at 10 am, where the traditional tossing of flowers and brief speeches will also feature Chicago-based actor Scott Duff reading an excerpt from Darrow's Right of Revolution speech.
Then, at the annual Symposium—to be held this year on Wednesday, April 15 at 6 p.m. at the Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago ( 16 E. Pearson, Room 1001, Chicago ), Duff will perform a more extensive reading of Darrow's speech, and Steven Ramirez, the Abner J. Mikva Professor of Law, and Director of the Business Law Center at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, will give a talk relating Darrow's historic speech to our contemporary world, focusing on issues of income inequality, corporate power, and social justice.
Both events are sponsored by The Clarence Darrow Commemorative Committee, whose mission is to honor and remember the life, work, values, and the philosophy of famed Chicago lawyer Clarence Darrow ( 1857-1938 ). Particular emphasis is placed upon Darrow's devotion to the American ideal of the universal application of the rule of law for the protection of all persons and causes, no matter how unpopular. For many decades the Committee has gathered a group on the anniversary of his death to summon his spirit by throwing flowers into the water at the bridge in his beloved Jackson Park, where he once, as a bet, said his spirit would return if it turned out that communication was possible from the afterworld. To ensure that his spirit does, in fact, return, the Committee then organizes a Symposium to discuss a topic that would have been dear to Darrow's heart.
Further Information about both events:
Flower-tossing and remarks are at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 13 just EAST of the Clarence Darrow Bridge in Jackson Park ( the bridge is under construction ) The Darrow Bridge is behind the Museum of Science and Industry: Driving south on Lake Shore Drive, pass the light at 57th Drive and turn right at the next light [Science Drive]. You will come almost immediately to Columbia Drive. If you turn left and follow Columbia Drive there is parking near the bridge. This event is free and no RSVP is needed. Flowers are provided for participation in the tossing ceremony.
The Symposium: Lecture by Steven Ramirez on Income Inequality, Corporate Power, Social Justice; and Reading of excerpts from Darrow's 1895 Right of Revolution speech by actor Scott Duff, is on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, 6:15 p.m. at the Quinlan School of Business, Loyola University Chicago, 16 E. Pearson, Room 1001, Chicago
Co-sponsored with the Curt and Linda Rodin Center for Social Justice at Loyola University Chicago School of Law
This event is free but please RSVP to LaTrina Porter at lporter@luc.edu .
For more information, see http://www.facebook.com/DarrowBridgeorg-207085072651434/
or www.darrowbridge.org or call 773-387-2394.
—From a press release
