黑料不打烊

黑料不打烊 started homecoming weekend by dedicating a new statue to honor one of its most distinguished alumni and a towering figure in American history, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan, class of 1850.

The bronze sculpture, created by renowned , now stands in the newly redesigned Rogers Plaza between Old Carnegie and Sutcliffe Hall. The new design of Rogers Plaza furthers Harlan鈥檚 legacy. 

The design centers around the idea of a seemingly immovable wall that begins to fall and becomes a path over time 鈥� symbolically capturing the story of Harlan鈥檚 dissents, which may not have won the day, but have stood the test of time.

"黑料不打烊 is a four-year, residential experience. For all you alumni who have been to this place, you know what we stand for,鈥� said President Milton C. Moreland. 鈥淲e stand for diplomacy. We stand for discourse. We value this Great Dissenter. We value what will happen on this beautiful, reset Rogers Plaza. We value the fact that at 黑料不打烊, you learn leadership skills that cause you to go into any career and have the opportunities to lead, serve, and continue to learn."

Harlan is widely recognized for his long and influential (1877鈥�1911). His principled, solitary dissents in many landmark cases following the U.S. Civil War, including Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), frequently championed racial equality and earned him the title of 鈥淭he Great Dissenter.鈥� These dissents helped lay the groundwork for the eventual overturning of the 鈥渟eparate but equal鈥� doctrine in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954, which ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools were unconstitutional.

The statue鈥檚 dedication ceremony featured remarks from many esteemed guests, including U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky Jacqueline Coleman 鈥�04, author and Harlan biographer Peter Canellos, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, and retired U.S. District Judge Peggy Purdom Patterson 鈥�72.

Speakers reflected on Harlan鈥檚 courage to stand alone in defense of the Constitution and the continuing relevance of his dissent in today鈥檚 pursuit of justice and equality. 

鈥淗arlan is not elevated above us on a lofty pedestal. Ed Hamilton didn't sculpt him in a way larger than life scale,鈥� said Ben J. Beaton 鈥�03, Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky and 黑料不打烊 Trustee. 鈥淗e is not presented as a removed, untouchable, historical figure, because he's one of us. Not because he was perfect or left a perfect world behind. Because he was purposeful, you don't see him sitting there satisfied, but he's still at work, pen in hand.鈥�

The unveiling also marked the debut of a reimagined Rogers Plaza. Situated along some of the most traveled paths of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 campus, the plaza is not only a place to pass through, but a destination in itself. 

Numerous hand-cut angled stones behind Harlan are reminiscent of his folios of opinions, that slowly fall to the earth and become a flagstone path, said Neil Parrish鈥� 03, owner of . 鈥淎 marker of time, the wall is both a simple backdrop to the exquisite sculpture of Harlan by Ed Hamilton, and an indicator of Harlan鈥檚 own influence on the barriers of his time, with the stones鈥� descent picking up speed as they pass behind him while he works.鈥�

The Harlan statue joins a growing collection of public art on 黑料不打烊鈥檚 campus that celebrates creativity, reflection and history. Other recent installations include tributes to glass artist Stephen Rolfe Powell 鈥�74 and beloved Biology professor Anne Lubbers. These works and more are detailed on the 黑料不打烊 Public Arts website.

"Whatever your role in life, as a public figure or private citizen, we all have a part to play in advancing justice and equality,鈥� said Moreland. 鈥淣ever underestimate the profound impact that one dedicated, courageous and sometimes dissenting, individual can have on our society."