Hate Groups
Since 1979, the Center has crippled some of the nation's largest white supremacist organizations by helping victims of racist violence sue for monetary damages. While the groups usually do not have much money, judgments effectively put them out of business. These courtroom victories are funded entirely by Center supporters. The Center accepts no legal fees from its clients.

» View selected hate group cases in the Case Docket

Juvenile Justice
Starting with the Center's first case – a 1969 discrimination case against the Montgomery, Alabama YMCA – the Center has fought on behalf of children, advocating for the right to a decent and fair education, the right of poor children to receive medical care and social services, and the right of children caught up in our juvenile justice system to be safe from abuse and to receive adequate education and treatment.

In 2000, the Center teamed up with the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana to negotiate a settlement agreement with the state of Louisiana and the U.S. Department of Justice that requires the state to reduce violence and improve medical and mental health services at juvenile correctional facilities.

» View selected juvenile justice cases in the Case Docket

Education
Protecting access to educational opportunities has long been a priority for the Center, from a ground-breaking lawsuit in the 1980s, which resulted in a substantial increase in revenue sources for schools in Kentucky, to our current struggle to win appropriate services for disabled children with emotional and behavioral problems in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Through advocacy and litigation, the Center continues to press school systems to make systemic changes in targeted areas.

In Louisiana, for example, an agreement with the Center requires the state to hire a special master to virtually overhaul the special education system in the Jefferson Parish school district. In Mississippi, the Center monitors a Consent Decree requiring schools systems to implement corrective action plans to ensure the proper identification of children with special educational needs.

» View selected education cases in the Case Docket

Immigrant Rights
The Center has been concerned with immigrants' rights for many years. Starting with Association of Vietnamese Fisherman v. Knights of the KKK, a 1981 case on behalf of Vietnamese immigrants whose lives and businesses were threatened by the Texas Klan, the Center has represented newly-arrived Americans in a variety of cases. Two recently litigated cases concerned discriminatory "English-only" policies aimed at those who are not U.S.-born.

Given 2000 Census figures reflecting the growing diversity of the nation and recent government crackdowns on illegal immigrants, the Center plans to continue its work to ensure the rights of immigrants are protected.

In 2004, the Center launched the Immigrant Justice Project to fight for the rights of immigrant workers in the Southeastern states through litigation and public education.

» View selected immigrant rights cases in the Case Docket

The Rights of Institutionalized Persons
The Center was involved in one of the first cases nationwide to challenge barbaric prison conditions -- the landmark Pugh v. Locke, filed in 1976. Involvement in prison reform has continued for 25 years, most recently with successful lawsuits that ended barbaric prison chain gangs and "hitching posts" and a case on behalf of seriously mentally ill prisoners. The Center continues working to end cruel prison practices with a current emphasis on ensuring inmates receive adequate medical care for serious health problems.

» View selected cases regarding institutionalized persons in the Case Docket

In addition to these areas of emphasis, the Center remains alert to other opportunities to make a difference in the struggle for justice and tolerance.