Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. Shares Insights on How to Form
"A More Perfect Union."

On Monday, November 19, 2001, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Illinois) visited UDC-DCSL to read from and sign copies of his latest book A More Perfect Union: Advancing New American Rights (with Frank E. Watkins). Students, faculty, and staff from around the university joined Dean Shelley Broderick in proudly welcoming the congressman to UDC, the site of his first major book signing in the D.C. area for the new title.

Speaking in a captivating, authoritative style he clearly inherited from his father, Jackson eloquently told why he wrote the book, emphasizing how American race relations still govern our lives. "A More Perfect Union is more than 450 years in the making," said Jackson. "It is a challenge for the reader.because it challenges everything that we know about our nation."

While Jackson sees “race as the lens through which to see all of American history,” economics and the tension between states’ rights and federal rights are the substance. The struggle for broadly shared economic development, political power, and personal freedom can best be advanced, Jackson argues, by adopting eight new, benchmark-setting constitutional amendments, guaranteeing rights primarily grounded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the U.S. has ratified. Each is discussed in a separate chapter: the rights to quality health care, housing, education, a clean environment, fair taxes, full employment, equality for women, and the right to vote.

After speaking on these issues, the floor was opened for questions, during which UDC-DCSL students took the opportunity to demonstrate their own understanding of history and the law. Jackson noted how "refreshing it was to be in the presence of law students pursuing public policy."

One such law student was Amy Castrovinci, 3L, who explained that her recent law review article also discusses the power of a constitutional clause to enforce equal opportunity — particularly regarding funding of school districts. Currently, some public school districts in impoverished neighborhoods are overcrowded and lack basic necessities, while others in higher income neighborhoods afford cutting-edge resources that often help students excel. Though Castrovinci's article is about New Jersey's constitution, it resonates with Jackson's proposal of a U.S. constitutional amendment that would ensure public school districts around the country are funded equally, whether they are rich or poor.

The need for such an amendment is most easily recognized in Washington, D.C., which has no state constitution, let alone one with an educational clause like New Jersey's. Jackson's proposed amendments to The Constitution therefore overlap with those proposed by supporters of D.C. statehood and voting rights, both of which would require such legislative tweaking, which Jackson supports. Jackson also stated his support for UDC-DCSL's public interest mission, "We need public interest and its priorities to reign over the private interests."

This article was compiled with information from Vernard Portis and a Publishers Weekly Book Review