Joyia Davis
The Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. Institute hosted the Faith & Politics Institute in America’s Courtroom, the historic courtroom of Judge Frank M. Johnson Jr., during its 2025 Civil Rights Pilgrimage to Alabama. Approximately 225 visitors from Washington, DC, including Members of Congress, filled the courtroom for the morning program. The program included a thought-provoking look at Judge Johnson’s career and its connections to Supreme Court Justice William Brennan by American University Law Professor Dr. Steve Wermiel and Johnson Institute Board Member and lawyer Peter Canfield.
Back by popular demand were theater artists from Alabama State University who performed an updated dramatic performance involving testimony from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Judge Johnson’s remarks from Williams v. Wallace. Williams is the 1965 case stemming from the events of Bloody Sunday that would allow the Selma March to go forward with protection from the marchers. The performance offered insight into Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s struggles for justice with poignant excerpts from his testimony, letters, and speeches.
Chief U.S. District Judge Emily C. Marks presided over the event, and Johnson Institute Board of Directors Co-Chair Debbie Long articulated the mission of the Johnson Institute, emphasizing its commitment to Constitutional and civics education.