Learn about LDF’s history

Black-and-white photo of five men wearing academic caps and gowns while standing outside a building. Photographed left to right are Franklin H. Williams, Robert L. Carter, Thurgood Marshall, Clarence M. Mitchell, and Horace Mann Bond.

Portrait of Horace Mann Bond, President of Lincoln University, (right) and members of the panel discussion entitled "Perfecting the American Democracy" at the university's commencement exercises. Photographed left to right are Lincoln University alumni and members of the NAACP: Franklin H. Williams, West Coast Regional Director; Robert L. Carter, Assistant to the Chief Counsel; Thurgood Marshall, Chief Counsel of the organization; and Clarence M. Mitchell, Director of the Washington, D.C., Bureau. (Lincoln University via Getty Images)

Explore LDF’s history by chronology and topic, or search our archives

Timeline

Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread state-sponsored racial inequality. This timeline chronicles LDF’s journey from that era to the present. Through it all, LDF’s mission has always been transformative: to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society. Explore the timeline.

Black-and-white photo of Thurgood Marshall wearing a suit and tie as he pauses to organize his papers in an open briefcase outside the U.S. Supreme Court building.

LDF’s Impact Areas

LDF’s mission has always been transformative: to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society. Since our founding, four areas of impact have been the core focus of our work.

Color photo of a large group of LDF staff and other people marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge while holding various voting rights signs and a banner reading, "LDF March for Voting Rights."

Search the Archives

Search, filter, and browse LDF’s archives to find pleadings, research, correspondence, and more.

Color photo of a Western Union telegram dated March 8, 1965, describing LDF's efforts to prevent police interference with demonstrators marching from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
Black-and-white photo of Nettie Hunt and her daughter Nickie sitting on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court building, as Nettie holds a newspaper with a headline reading, "High Court Bans Segregation in Public Schools."

Nettie Hunt and her daughter Nickie sit on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. Nettie explains to her daughter the meaning of the Court's ruling in the Brown v. Board of Education case that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. (Photo by UPI/Bettmann via Getty Images)

Especially For teachers

Curriculum

Welcome to Recollection: A Civil Rights Legal Archive’s curriculum, which provides comprehensive educational resources focusing on the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education. The curriculum is designed for high school students, with several lesson plans adaptable for middle school, and utilizes a rich array of historical documents and briefs from the Legal Defense Fund’s archives. Each lesson is meticulously paired with archival materials and practical teaching tools to ensure that educators have everything needed to bring these crucial topics to life in the classroom. Aligned with common standards for middle school U.S. government and high school social studies, this curriculum promotes a historically accurate and culturally responsive education. By advancing narratives and policies that highlight the importance of a racially inclusive and factually accurate education, we aim to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of diverse perspectives as the foundation of a multiracial democracy. Dive in to explore how this curriculum can enhance teaching and engage students in meaningful learning.

View the curriculum

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