Memphis, TN
Hometowns Program
Spring 2026
Summary of the Program
19 students from Memphis and Jackson-area high schools participated in the Hometowns Memphis program from March 16-20, 2026. Students learned about the federal judiciary through the lens of the local Fourteenth Amendment case Watson v. City of Memphis (1963). During the program, students learned from:
- 10 Federal and state judges
- 4 professors from Rhodes College, the University of Memphis, and the University of Memphis Cecil H. Humphreys Law School
- Former Memphis mayor AC Wharton and Former County Commissioner and Civil Rights lawyer Walter Bailey
- Multiple Memphis area attorneys
- Numerous members of the federal courthouse staff
Highlights of the program included observing sentencing and initial appearances in the courtrooms of Chief Judge Sheryl Lipman and Magistrate Judge Charmaine Claxton. The students toured the National Civil Rights Museum and learned about the case from Professor Daniel Kiel in the courtroom where the Watson case was brought before a district judge in 1960.
The Society would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to the Civics Education and Outreach committees from the Western District of Tennessee and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Special thanks also go to the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law for graciously hosting our scholars. Members of the Memphis Chapter of the Federal Bar Association spoke with the students during lunch, and we greatly appreciate their time.
The Hometowns Scholars created a 5-panel exhibit documenting their new knowledge, which will be installed in the Odell Horton Federal Building in October 2026.
