By Zenell Brown
“What did you do this summer?” What was once a universal question may be a relic of the past, based on the “meh” reaction my 7-year-old grandson gave when I asked what he would be writing about in his report when he returned to school after Labor Day.
I, on the other hand, am excited to report to the Detroit legal community about my America250 summer experience.
I started with the expected themes of independence, truth, and justice, but the themes of transformation and civic courage emerged over the past few weeks.
Transformation represents the evolution of traditional ideas into their current and future forms. Civic courage means accepting individual and collective responsibility for protecting democratic values and the rule of law.
Work and personal travels from July 11–25 took me to Jacksonville, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA); and Chicago, Illinois. At each stop, I ventured out to engage with the local history, culture, and community and to connect those experiences with the commemoration of America250 and my work to help ensure that our justice system works for all.
Jacksonville offered me James Weldon Johnson Park. Established as the city’s first public park, it was known as Hemming Park until 2020. The park is a symbol of transformation: What was once a site of racial violence, including the Ax Handle Saturday incident, is now an urban space dedicated to “engaging diverse communities and restoring vitality to the public square.”
In 1900, James Weldon Johnson’s poem “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” was sung by students during a celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. In 1919–20, the song was recognized as the national anthem for Black America. It was the greatest moment of my career thus far to recite words I learned in early elementary school before an audience of court professionals from across the nation as part of my acceptance speech for the National Association for Court Management’s Award of Merit.
NOLA provided an opportunity to gain and share new perspectives on the civil rights era. With my 7-year-old grandson, I stood on the steps of William Frantz Elementary School and shared the story of Ruby Bridges, the courageous 6-year-old who integrated the school. We talked about how integration is not ancient history and how Ms. Bridges is about the age of his great-aunt. Like his aunt, Ms. Bridges is still living and active. I do not think he fully understood it all, but the seeds have been planted.
In Chicago, the National Association of Women Lawyers convened for its annual meeting July 22–23, and the rule of law was front and center. Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court Ketanji Brown Jackson, the keynote speaker, emphasized that the rule of law is at the heart of our democracy and that the legal community must educate the public about what that means. According to the National Center for State Courts’ 2025 survey, 62% of Americans indicate that they trust state courts. That leaves considerable work for those of us responsible for strengthening public understanding and confidence.
An America250 summer visit to Chicago would not have been complete without a visit to the Obama Presidential Museum. Through its omnipresent theme, “The Power of Us,” various exhibits recognize leaders who helped transform America’s democratic promises. One display asks visitors to respond to the following critique of democracy: “The Constitution was last amended before the internet was really a thing—and it’s so hard to change. How can it still be relevant?” One interactive exhibit indicates that most visitors have voted in favor of continuing change while upholding democracy. Change requires civic courage, and civic courage requires conversation. Individually and collectively, we are responsible for determining what kind of country we want, and reflective questions help advance the conversation.
Finally, on July 25, I landed at the “Freedom Plane National Tour” exhibit at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. There was still an hour-long wait, although I had tickets for an appointed time. But what is an hour when compared with 250 years? That hour also created space for conversation. I shared a laugh with a fellow boomer when his daughter, a teacher, had no idea who Detroit radio personality Dick Purtan was. Now she can include that lesson in her “What I Did This Summer” report.
More importantly, the hour gave me an opportunity to reflect on the pieces of history from my July travels and how they fit into America250. They represented the transformation of our founding ideals.
The doors opened, allowing me to view the documents on display, among them the original engraving of the Declaration of Independence (1823) and the Articles of Association (1774). The genesis of civic courage was demonstrated by the oaths and ledgers signed by men who were willing to bet all they had on independence and a system intended to ensure equality and establish that no one is above the law. These documents were drafted during the lifetimes of my sixth great-grandmothers, who were most likely enslaved and certainly not contemplated as beneficiaries of the freedoms and rights they prescribed. I stood in awe of their creation and in reverence for their transformation. The civic courage required to shape and fulfill these ideals has never been easy, but it has always been worthwhile. I exited the exhibit inspired.
My America250 summer reminded me that I inherited the responsibility to ensure that our democratic ideals are understood, protected, and transformed so that no one is forgotten.
How about you? What did you do this summer?
I, on the other hand, am excited to report to the Detroit legal community about my America250 summer experience.
I started with the expected themes of independence, truth, and justice, but the themes of transformation and civic courage emerged over the past few weeks.
Transformation represents the evolution of traditional ideas into their current and future forms. Civic courage means accepting individual and collective responsibility for protecting democratic values and the rule of law.
Work and personal travels from July 11–25 took me to Jacksonville, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA); and Chicago, Illinois. At each stop, I ventured out to engage with the local history, culture, and community and to connect those experiences with the commemoration of America250 and my work to help ensure that our justice system works for all.
Jacksonville offered me James Weldon Johnson Park. Established as the city’s first public park, it was known as Hemming Park until 2020. The park is a symbol of transformation: What was once a site of racial violence, including the Ax Handle Saturday incident, is now an urban space dedicated to “engaging diverse communities and restoring vitality to the public square.”
In 1900, James Weldon Johnson’s poem “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” was sung by students during a celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. In 1919–20, the song was recognized as the national anthem for Black America. It was the greatest moment of my career thus far to recite words I learned in early elementary school before an audience of court professionals from across the nation as part of my acceptance speech for the National Association for Court Management’s Award of Merit.
NOLA provided an opportunity to gain and share new perspectives on the civil rights era. With my 7-year-old grandson, I stood on the steps of William Frantz Elementary School and shared the story of Ruby Bridges, the courageous 6-year-old who integrated the school. We talked about how integration is not ancient history and how Ms. Bridges is about the age of his great-aunt. Like his aunt, Ms. Bridges is still living and active. I do not think he fully understood it all, but the seeds have been planted.
In Chicago, the National Association of Women Lawyers convened for its annual meeting July 22–23, and the rule of law was front and center. Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court Ketanji Brown Jackson, the keynote speaker, emphasized that the rule of law is at the heart of our democracy and that the legal community must educate the public about what that means. According to the National Center for State Courts’ 2025 survey, 62% of Americans indicate that they trust state courts. That leaves considerable work for those of us responsible for strengthening public understanding and confidence.
An America250 summer visit to Chicago would not have been complete without a visit to the Obama Presidential Museum. Through its omnipresent theme, “The Power of Us,” various exhibits recognize leaders who helped transform America’s democratic promises. One display asks visitors to respond to the following critique of democracy: “The Constitution was last amended before the internet was really a thing—and it’s so hard to change. How can it still be relevant?” One interactive exhibit indicates that most visitors have voted in favor of continuing change while upholding democracy. Change requires civic courage, and civic courage requires conversation. Individually and collectively, we are responsible for determining what kind of country we want, and reflective questions help advance the conversation.
Finally, on July 25, I landed at the “Freedom Plane National Tour” exhibit at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. There was still an hour-long wait, although I had tickets for an appointed time. But what is an hour when compared with 250 years? That hour also created space for conversation. I shared a laugh with a fellow boomer when his daughter, a teacher, had no idea who Detroit radio personality Dick Purtan was. Now she can include that lesson in her “What I Did This Summer” report.
More importantly, the hour gave me an opportunity to reflect on the pieces of history from my July travels and how they fit into America250. They represented the transformation of our founding ideals.
The doors opened, allowing me to view the documents on display, among them the original engraving of the Declaration of Independence (1823) and the Articles of Association (1774). The genesis of civic courage was demonstrated by the oaths and ledgers signed by men who were willing to bet all they had on independence and a system intended to ensure equality and establish that no one is above the law. These documents were drafted during the lifetimes of my sixth great-grandmothers, who were most likely enslaved and certainly not contemplated as beneficiaries of the freedoms and rights they prescribed. I stood in awe of their creation and in reverence for their transformation. The civic courage required to shape and fulfill these ideals has never been easy, but it has always been worthwhile. I exited the exhibit inspired.
My America250 summer reminded me that I inherited the responsibility to ensure that our democratic ideals are understood, protected, and transformed so that no one is forgotten.
How about you? What did you do this summer?
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