Law Day 2024: Voices of Democracy

Published in

walawlibrary

4 min readMay 1, 2024

Each year on May 1st the legal community gathers together to celebrate “the rule of law and cultivate a deeper understanding of the legal system.” Established in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Law Day is intended for understanding how and why the legal system and the law itself are vital to liberty, justice, and freedom for all. Past Law Day themes have included the Magna Carta, Separation of Powers, the 14th and 19th Amendments, and the role that the courts play in ensuring access to justice.

A photograph shows a red book with the word “LAW” on the cover. The book is flanked at top by two red, white, and blue buntings, and at left by an American flag.

This year’s theme is Voices of Democracy. According to the American Bar Association (ABA), the theme “recognizes that in democracies, the people rule. For nearly 250 years, Americans have expressed their political views and wishes by speaking their minds and voting in elections. In 2024 the United States will hold its 60th presidential election, and Americans will address fundamental questions about democracy and the rule of law.” As part of the annual celebration, the ABA hosted a discussion between ABA President Mary Smith and Aslihan Bulut, the Law Librarian of Congress. A recording of this conversation can be found here.

On May 1st (10:30 am PST), the ABA will livestream a special Law Day program from Pennsylvania, entitled Taking the Next Step: Ensuring Trusted Elections and Civics for Pennsylvanians. While the program will include some state-specific content, the lineup includes information about the importance of Law Day, a panel discussion on free and fair elections, and a conversation on civility and the state of democracy. The program will also include a call to action and ideas for next steps. This event is part of a nationwide listening tour “focused on addressing the key issues facing our democracy, such as ensuring trust in elections and improving civic dialog.”

To the left there is a gold star with two white figures of people on the inside of it. The star overlays three red gradient colored bars that extend to the right and look like a flag. The star and bars are outlined by a thick gray to black gradient outline. Inside the outline at top right, white text reads, “Law Day 2024.” At far left and bottom, outlining the star and bar motif, are dark blue rectangles and a gold square with white text that reads, “Voices of Democracy.” — The Law Day 2024 logo

To commemorate Law Day and its theme, we have put together a list of books and resources that highlight Voices of Democracy. To inquire about any of the book titles below, please contact the law library reference desk at library.requests@courts.wa.gov or 360–357–2136.