We are delighted to share that Karen M. Hinkley, a partner at DHW, served on the panel for The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 2024 Essay Contest. This year’s contest holds special significance as it marks the seventieth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). This historic ruling declared that racial segregation in public schools violates the United States Constitution, recognizing that public education is “the very foundation of good citizenship.”

The essay topic, “Has the decision in Brown, viewed through the lens of 2024, achieved its purpose of ensuring equal opportunity in public education?” invited students to critically assess the long-term impacts of this pivotal case. The contest, which ran from February 20, 2024, to May 31, 2024, was open to current students in grades 9-12 in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

To read more about the essay contest, click here.